Kyoyo, Japan Reuters —The world’s first wooden satellite, built by Japanese researchers, was launched into space on Tuesday, in an early test of using timber in lunar and Mars exploration. An engineering model of LignoSat, pictured at Kyoto University ahead of Tuesday's launch. “Early 1900s airplanes were made of wood,” said Kyoto University forest science professor Koji Murata. “A wooden satellite should be feasible, too.”Wood is more durable in space than on Earth because there’s no water or oxygen that would rot or inflame it, Murata added. A wooden satellite also minimizes the environmental impact at the end of its life, the researchers say.

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Persons: ”, Takao Doi, Irene Wang, Doi’s, Koji Murata, ” Wood, Murata, Doi, ” Doi, LignoSat, Kenji Kariya Organizations: Japan Reuters, Kyoto University, homebuilder Sumitomo Forestry, International, SpaceX, Space Shuttle, Reuters, NASA, Elon, Space, Sumitomo Forestry Tsukuba Research Institute Locations: Kyoyo, Japan, Kyoto