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JAXA’s First Wooden Satellite Deploys from Space Station

✇International Space Station (ISS) – NASA
By:Andrea Lloyd
An open box is made of four wooden panels. The two missing wooden panels show a metal internal structure ensuring the box stays together.
Internal view of LignoSat’s structure shows the relationship among wooden panels, aluminum frames, and stainless-steel shafts.
Credit: Kyoto University

In December 2024, five CubeSats deployed into Earth’s orbit from the International Space Station. Among them was LignoSat, a wooden satellite from JAXA (Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency) that investigates the use of wood in space. Findings could offer a more sustainable alternative to conventional satellites.

A previous experiment aboard station exposed three species of wood to the space environment to help researchers determine the best option for LignoSat. The final design used 10 cm long honoki magnolia wood panels assembled with a Japanese wood-joinery method.

Researchers will use sensors to evaluate strain on the wood and measure its responses to temperature and radiation in space. Geomagnetic levels will also be monitored to determine whether the geomagnetic field can penetrate the body of the wooden satellite and interfere with its technological capabilities. Investigating uses for wood in space could lead to innovative solutions in the future.

An open box is made of four wooden panels. One additional panel is to the side. The edge of the additional panel matches up with the open box, like a jigsaw puzzle.
A traditional Japanese wooden joining method, the Blind Miter Dovetail Joint, is used for LignoSat to connect two wooden panels without using glue or nails.
Credit: Kyoto University
An outside view of the space station with three square boxes in the center of the image. To the left is a solar panel. To the right is part of the space station. At the bottom is a view of the Earth.
Three CubeSats are deployed from space station, including LignoSat.
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