BBC article on satellite
In-case you missed the articles, Japan is about to launch the worlds first wood satellite. The reason behind the material choice, is that varies metals in satellites when they breakup in the atmosphere are damaging to the ozone layer. They hope that wood casing will avoid the environmental damage.
I know you are thinking wood – but
“After testing the wood on Earth the researchers at Kyoto sent samples to the ISS for a year.
The scientists found there was very little damage to the wood from the ISS because there is no oxygen to burn it or living things in space that would ordinarily cause it to rot.”
This test satellite is tiny about the size of a coffee mug – but if successful at its conclusion will just burn up in the atmosphere without the metals damaging the ozone, or pieces left to become debris that is dangerous to other satellites.
It is hoped that it will go up on one of the Space X flights this year. And if everything test out, that it will expand the materials available for future satellites. Carpentry in space! Some skills will never go out of style.