First wooden satellite launches into space

In Japan, a project evaluating the potential for wooden satellites to reduce space trash has officially launched the first such prototype into space.

Dubbed LignoSat, the satellite is made from Japanese hinoki and cypress wood and employs dovetail joints to reduce the need for screws and glue.

Space trash is a growing problem, with numerous metal objects either cluttering space or crashing back to earth. When the orbit of metal satellites decays, the heat causes pollution to be released into the atmosphere. The Sumitomo Forestry and Kyoto University team behind LignoSat see wooden satellites as a greener option.

LignoSat will spend six months in orbit, before being decommissioned and falling back to earth.  The team will evaluate how well LignoSat holds up to the extreme space environment and protects electronics from radiation.