After four years in development, a wood satellite developed by Kyoto University and Sumitomo Forestry, a Japanese logging and processing company, has launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida en route to the International Space Station.

Made with Magnolia wood, the 10-cubic-centimeter probe was assembled using a traditional Japanese technique that doesn't require any screws or glue and is equipped with external solar panels. Magnolia was one of three wood species exposed to the harsh vacuum of space by the International Space Station (ISS) in a research project led by Kyoto University. Despite the extreme environment of outer space involving significant temperature changes and exposure to intense cosmic rays and dangerous solar particles for 10 months, tests confirmed no decomposition or deformations, such as cracking, warping, peeling, or surface damage.The world's first wooden satellite has blasted off on a SpaceX rocket, its Japanese developers said Tuesday, part of a resupply mission to the International Space Station.

Scientists at Kyoto University expect the wooden material to burn up when the device re-enters the atmosphere -- potentially providing a way to avoid generating metal particles when a retired satellite returns to Earth.

The World Economic Forum called this a significant step toward eco-friendly space exploration. "This groundbreaking initiative aims to address the growing concerns of space debris and pave the way for a more sustainable future in orbit."

Traditional satellites, built with aluminum, release harmful particles when they re-enter Earth's atmosphere, potentially damaging the delicate ozone layer, according to the World Economic Forum.