Japan on Tuesday launched the world's first wooden satellite into space.

The timber-made satellite will be used for lunar and Mars exploration.

LignoSat, named after the Latin word for wood, was launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in the US atop a SpaceX rocket bound for International Space Station.

Lignosat was developed by Kyoto University and homebuilder Sumitomo Forestry.The palm-sized LignoSat is tasked to demonstrate the cosmic potential of renewable material as humans explore living in space.

It would stay in orbit for six months, once launched into space.