News Section | Astronomy and Space
Scientists carry out experiments on zero gravity space beer
Researchers at an Australian university are experimenting with a beer that can be safely drunk in low gravity of space.
Queensland University of Technology’s Carseldine zero gravity research facility tested the behaviour of a special blend of 4-Pines Brewery’s “space beer” in zero gravity.
The lab’s director Professor Ted Steinberg said the project, which began in October last year, tests if the beverage’s carbonation levels could be tweaked for safe consumption in space.
“You would want to be careful because people are already prone to throwing up in zero-gravity,” the said Steinberg.
“You know what happens when you pop the lid of a beer bottle – image what it could be like if that happened inside of a person,” he said.
He said while he himself prefers scotch, beer lovers might be disappointed with the brew.
“A lot of the flavour of beer comes from the carbonation, so you may end up losing a lot of flavour,” Steinberg explained.
The Microgravity Drop Tower, the first of its kind in the southern hemisphere, accurately simulates the conditions of space here on earth, for two seconds at a time.
The facility, which opened late last year, is working on research projects in the field of fluid dynamics for both NASA and the European Space Agency.
“We always come up with more questions instead of answers, so the research is ongoing,” Steinberg said.
“So few people have access to zero-gravity,” he added.
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