If you're after a truly out of this world glass of vino, then you might be in luck because SpaceX is to bring the first crate of "space-aged" wine back to Earth.
The SpaceX Dragon that arrived at the International Space Station on the company’s 21st resupply services mission for NASA successfully undocked from the ISS at 9.05am ET on Tuesday, January 12, loaded with 4,400 pounds of scientific experiments and other cargo.
Their upgraded Dragon spacecraft executed the first undocking of a US commercial cargo craft from the International Docking Adapter, with NASA astronaut Victor Glover, the first black astronaut to make an extended stay at the station, monitoring from onboard the ISS.
Dragon is expected to make its parachute-assisted splashdown around 8.14 pm on Wednesday, January 13 – the first return of a cargo resupply spacecraft in the Atlantic Ocean.
Onboard will be the first crate of "space-aged" wine, which was shipped to the International Space Station in November 2019 as part of an experiment launched by a Luxembourg-based startup company.
"Our goal is to tackle the solution of how we’re going to have an agriculture tomorrow that is both organic and healthy and able to feed humanity," said Space Cargo Unlimited co-founder Nicolas Gaume.
"And we think space was the key," he said.
Gaume believes that future moon or Mars explorers may want a little bit of Cabernet Sauvignon with their space rations.
"Being French, it’s part of life to have some good food and good wine," he added.
The 12 bottles were corked and carefully packed in steel cylinders to avoid breakage.
Their experiment included vinifying a 320 Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, both of which will be brought to Earth on Wednesday.
The bottled wine will remain sealed until at least next month when one or two will be popped open for a tasting in Bordeaux — followed by months of chemical testing to determine the impact of space on the drink.
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