The International Space Station (ISS) launched LignoSat, the first satellite built with wood, into orbit. The project was developed by researchers from Kyoto University in partnership with the company Sumitomo Forestry, both in Japan.
In a video shared by the official EEI page, it is possible to see the moment LignoSat was sent into Space. Over the next six months, the satellite will be monitored to assess the viability of wood as a material in space equipment, testing its resistance to the extreme conditions of space.
Wood you look at that! LignoSat recently deployed from . ‘s wooden satellite investigates how wood survives in the space environment and transmits data. Findings could offer a more sustainable alternative to conventional satellites.
— ISS Research (@ISS_Research)
The objective of the project is to promote the creation of more sustainable satellites, which can completely disintegrate during re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere, thus minimizing the environmental impact of space debris.