The Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is now operating a wood satellite in orbit, made of hinoki magnolia wood panels

In a pioneering space mission, the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) launched LignoSat, a satellite constructed from wood, into Earth's orbit in December 2024. This innovative approach aims to assess the viability of wood as a sustainable alternative to traditional satellite materials.

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.

LignoSat's six-month mission will demonstrate whether wood could help reduce the environmental impact of spaceflight in the future.

The world's first wooden satellite has officially been deployed. Built by the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), the timber-clad device hitched a ride on a SpaceX mission which brought it to the International Space Station last November.