A SpaceX spacecraft would carry a case of Bordeaux wine back to Earth when it arrives this week. With this, the International Space Station bids goodbye to a French wine that was literally stored from beyond any country. Since aged in outer space for more than a year, it is no ordinary champagne.
As part of an experiment conducted by a Luxembourg-based start-up firm, experts sent the liquor to the International Space Station in November 2019.
Nicolas Gaume, the co-founder of Space Cargo Unlimited, told the Associated Press (AP), they aim to discuss how in the future, they will have organic and safe agriculture to feed humanity. He claimed that "space was the key."
Besides, Gaume said, with their space rations, potential moon or Mars explorers might like a little bit of Cabernet Sauvignon.
As a Frenchman, he explained that good food and good wine are a part of life.
How Climate and Environment Affects Wine and Other Farm Goods
Gaume said that farm goods such as grapes would have to adjust to harsh weather in the face of climate change.
Space Cargo Unlimited hopes to bring what has been observed by stimulating the plants in a gravity-free environment through a sequence of space tests to transform them into more robust and efficient plants on Earth.
Mr. Gaume also hopes potential moon and Mars colonists may like to taste some of the pleasures of Earth.
They will not open any of the bottles until the end of February. That is when some of France's best connoisseurs and specialists can drink a bottle or two for an out-of-this-world wine tasting event in Bordeaux.
It would follow months of chemical research. Researchers are keen to see if sedimentation and bubbles have altered space.
The main focus is agricultural science, emphasizes Gaume. However, he acknowledges that tasting the wine is going to be enjoyable. He's going to be among the fortunate few to take a drink.
Will The Bottle Wines Break Upon Its Splashdown?
To stop breakage, the 12 bottles were corked and tightly sealed into steel cylinders.
They are part of a wider load of freight containing 320 snippets of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon vines sent into space in March and some rats.
Until at least next month, when one or two will be released for a sampling in Bordeaux, the bottled wine will stay sealed. The wine would undergo months of chemical tests to assess the effect of space on the expensive grape juice.
In November 2019, the wine hitched a trip on a Northrop Grumman delivery ship to the space station.
Last March, SpaceX introduced the 320 Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon vine snippets, named canes, in the grape-growing company.
SpaceX is the sole shipper willing to return tests from the space station and other things intact.
Other cargo modules tend to be affected by pollution and end burned-up when reentering the Earth's atmosphere.
Check out more news and information on Space on Science Times.
