Kyoto University and Sumitomo Forestry have completed a wooden satellite (LignoSat) as part of the “Space Wood Project (LignoStella Project),” which the two companies have been working on since April 2020. It will be handed over to JAXA on June 4th.
The completed wooden satellite is a super-small satellite called a CubeSat, with sides of 100 mm, and has passed strict safety inspections by NASA/JAX. This marks the first time in the world that wood has been officially used in space.
In preparation for operation in space, it will be loaded onto a SpaceX rocket scheduled to be launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, USA in September and transported to the International Space Station (ISS).
It is scheduled to be released into space from the Japanese Experiment Module “Kibo” about one month after arriving at the ISS. In the future, they will pursue the potential of wood and aim to expand the use of wood through data analysis transmitted from the wooden satellite.
In order to prevent small satellites from becoming space debris in space, it is an international rule that they must be re-entered into the atmosphere and burned up. However, conventional metal satellites generate fine particles called alumina particles during combustion, which can have a negative impact on the Earth’s climate and communications.

As wood burns up during re-entry into the atmosphere, it is expected that this impact will be reduced by increasing the number of wooden satellites in the future.

Based on the results of various physical property tests, magnolia wood was selected for the structure of the actual wooden satellite (flight model) to be launched this time as a tree species that can be used stably in space. The wood used is magnolia cut down in Sumitomo Forestry’s Monbetsu forest, and the structure is made using a traditional Japanese technique called “tomegatakakushiarikumitsugii,” which is assembled precisely and firmly without using any screws or adhesives.