The world's first wooden satellite is preparing to launch from Rocket Lab's Mahia Peninsula site later this year.
Designed in Finland the 10 by 10cm plywood satellite will launch as part of a mission to test the behaviour and durability of wood for possible future missions.
Woodsat chief engineer Samuli Nymanm said the satellite is "basically the same" as any you'd find in a hardware store.
"The main difference is that ordinary plywood is too humid for space use so we place our wood in a thermal vacuum chamber to dry it out. Then we also perform atomic layer deposition, adding a very thin aluminium oxide layer."
The aluminium oxide will stop the wood from releasing any gas into the space environment.
The satellite will be fitted with two cameras, one attached to a selfie stick which will show the mission team back on earth how the plywood reacts to the extreme conditions of space.
Rocket Lab's senior vice president of global launch processes Lars Hoffman said they're "proud" to be part of the mission.
"We're proud to provide access to orbit for this innovative mission."
