The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Yes. Japan’s LignoSat, a 1U CubeSat developed by Kyoto University and Sumitomo Forestry, was deployed from the International Space Station on December 9, 2024. Its outer panels are made from honoki wood, but the satellite is not entirely wooden: its enclosure is combined with aluminum frames and stainless-steel shafts. The experiment is testing how wood behaves in orbit, not demonstrating that it can already replace metal across the satellite industry.
What is LignoSat, and when did it launch?
LignoSat is a 1U CubeSat developed by Kyoto University with Sumitomo Forestry as part of the LignoStella space-wood effort. JAXA records its deployment from the Kibo module on the International Space Station on December 9, 2024. NASA lists it among five CubeSats deployed from the station that month. JAXA’s deployment record identifies it as a Kyoto University 1U satellite; NASA provides an overview of the spacecraft and experiment.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Before deployment, the completed spacecraft was handed to JAXA after passing a NASA/JAXA safety review in May 2024, according to Sumitomo Forestry.
Recommended Free Tools
What is the wooden satellite made of?
The outer panels are made of honoki, a Japanese magnolia. NASA describes them as 10-centimeter panels assembled using a traditional Japanese blind-miter dovetail-style joinery method. The construction uses no glue or nails, according to Sumitomo Forestry. However, the enclosure is combined with aluminum frames and stainless-steel shafts, so calling LignoSat entirely wooden would be inaccurate.
#1 Best Overall
- HOBBY MODEL KIT – Unassembled model packed in an envelope with easy to follow instructions. Ideal for ages 14 and up.
- NO GLUE OR SOLDER NEEDED – Parts can be easily clipped from the metal sheets. Tweezers are the recommended tool for bending and twisting the connection tabs.
- VOYAGER – 1.5 Sheet Model with a moderate difficulty level. Assembled Size: 1.38 x 1.77 x 6.70 inches.
- FROM STEEL SHEETS TO 3D – Pop out the pieces and connect using tabs and holes. Includes illustrated instructions.
- HIGHLY DETAILED ETCHED MODEL – Display your 3D model once completed - collect and build them all.
The choice of honoki followed earlier tests of wood exposed outside the ISS. Kyoto University reported that samples exposed for about 10 months showed no cracking, warping, peeling, surface damage, deformation, or change in mass, and only minimal deterioration. That result supported building a satellite demonstration; it does not establish that wood will perform equally well in every spacecraft design or mission.
What is LignoSat measuring in orbit?
Sensors on the satellite evaluate strain in the wood, its responses to temperature and radiation, and geomagnetic conditions. Together, these measurements address two practical questions: whether the wooden structure remains dimensionally stable in orbit, and whether magnetic fields can pass through it in ways that might affect spacecraft electronics. NASA describes the experiment and its measurements in its LignoSat overview.
Rank #2
- Model Kit
- May Require Paints and Glues to Assemble
- Accurate Scale Model
- Detailed Instructions Provided
- Decals/Transfers Included
Why test wood instead of using only metal?
The project is investigating whether wood could offer useful properties for future spacecraft and space construction, including the potential for lower-impact materials. It is also gathering engineering data about how wood behaves under orbital conditions. The experiment does not show that wood is ready to replace conventional metal satellite structures: structural performance, mass, thermal cycling, radiation exposure, electrical and magnetic behavior, manufacturing and repair, debris, end-of-life handling, and flight heritage all matter when choosing spacecraft materials.
For now, LignoSat is best understood as a technology demonstration. Its mixed construction and onboard measurements let researchers evaluate a wooden enclosure in space without implying that all the demands on a satellite structure have been solved.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- HOBBY MODEL KIT – Unassembled model packed in an envelope with easy to follow instructions. Ideal for ages 14 and up.
- NO GLUE OR SOLDER NEEDED – Parts can be easily clipped from the metal sheets. Tweezers are the recommended tool for bending and twisting the connection tabs.
- HUBBLE TELESCOPE – 1 Sheet Model with a moderate difficulty level. Assembled Size: 3.00 x 2.00 x 2.50 inches.
- FROM STEEL SHEETS TO 3D – Pop out the pieces and connect using tabs and holes. Includes illustrated instructions.
- HIGHLY DETAILED ETCHED MODEL – Display your 3D model once completed - collect and build them all.
Rank #4
- HOBBY MODEL KIT – Unassembled model packed in an envelope with easy to follow instructions. Ideal for ages 14 and up.
- NO GLUE OR SOLDER NEEDED – Parts can be easily clipped from the metal sheets. Tweezers are the recommended tool for bending and twisting the connection tabs.
- JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE - 2.75 Sheet Model with a moderate difficulty level. Assembled Size: 4.13 L x 2.75 W x 2.75 H inches. 1:221 Scale. 62 Pieces
- FROM STEEL SHEETS TO 3D – Pop out the pieces and connect using tabs and holes. Includes illustrated instructions.
- HIGHLY DETAILED ETCHED MODEL – Display your 3D model once completed - collect and build them all.
Rank #3
- HOBBY MODEL KIT – Unassembled model packed in an envelope with easy to follow instructions. Ideal for ages 14 and up
- NO GLUE OR SOLDER NEEDED – Parts can be easily clipped from the metal sheets. Tweezers are the recommended tool for bending and twisting the connection tabs
- APOLLO CSM – 3.5 Sheet Model with a challenging difficulty level. Assembled Size: 5.07 L x 2.28 W x 3.45 H inches.
- FROM STEEL SHEETS TO 3D – Pop out the pieces and connect using tabs and holes. Includes illustrated instructions
- HIGHLY DETAILED ETCHED MODEL – Display your 3D model once completed - collect and build them all
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
