Could we one day plant trees and build wooden houses on the Moon and Mars? Scientists hope a wooden satellite called LignoSat will help them answer this question. 

Built by Japanese researchers, LignoSat was launched into space in November 2024 and entered orbit around Earth in December. The tiny satellite is scheduled to remain in orbit for a total of six months. 

LignoSat was designed to help scientists find out if wood can stand up to the harsh environment in space. (Most satellites are made of metal.) As it orbits Earth, the satellite will go from darkness to sunlight every 45 minutes and experience temperatures ranging from -148 degrees Fahrenheit (-100 degrees Celsius) to 212 degrees Fahrenheit (100 degrees Celsius). 

Scientists think wood might hold up well in space. On Earth, water and oxygen cause wood to rot over time. There’s no water or oxygen in space.

If wood does prove to be a strong space material, scientists hope to be able to use more of it. Wood will come in handy when scientists build settlements on the Moon and Mars. In both of these worlds, it may be possible to construct wood buildings and even plant trees!

Wood is also better for the environment than metal because it’s easier to get rid of when it’s no longer useful. When old metal satellites fall to Earth, they produce particles that can harm the atmosphere. LignoSat’s wooden frame will burn up and produce less pollution.

“With [wood], a material we can produce by ourselves [in space], we will be able to build houses, live and work in space forever,” astronaut Takao Doi told Reuters. Doi, an aerospace engineer (someone who designs materials for use in space), helped design LignoSat.