World's first wooden satellite aims to prove plywood can survive space

Toothpicks. Tables. Crates. Spoons. Satellites? An ambitious project will send a tiny wooden satellite into orbit later this year to see if it can stand up to the brutal conditions of space. It's already survived a test run into the stratosphere. The WISA Woodsat is a 4-inch (10-centimeter) square satellite that's scheduled for a fall launch on a Rocket Lab Electron rocket in New Zealand. Getting to orbit is only part of the adventure. Once it's there, the team will monitor the little cube to see how its plywood build stands up to cold, heat, radiation and the vacuum of space. More

(Source: CNET - Jun 17)