Beer

Space beer due to the different behavior of the main components barley and yeast in microgravity.

Updated: 2024-04-02

Created: 2018-11-01

Status

Hops have been grown in space and yeast has been space-flown. Research into yeast growth and barley germination in microgravity environment. TRL 9 would be when drinkable (bottled) beer would be made in space. 

Applications

  • Unique novelty product to capture the interest of new population segments.
  • Research into yeast cells is applicable to human cells.

Why & Solution

Yeast and humans are about 70 percent similar in genetics, making these microbes ideal for studying how human cells adapt to space. Spaceflown yeast strains showed DNA and RNA damage and a variety of changes suggesting that microgravity affects core cellular processes. These findings can direct future investigations of environmental modifications to minimize these effects during long spaceflights and to identify drugs to help control harmful effects in humans. The experiments also demonstrate that full genome screening can be done during spaceflight using small-suitcase-sized hardware, significant for future studies in space and extreme environments on Earth. Addresses risks to biological integrity and life-based support systems for long-term occupation in space. Results from this study allow researchers to gain a global perspective to the genes that play a role in survival, in regards to microgravity conditions, and will allow for a more thorough understanding of the effects of microgravity on a model organism. The expectation is that what is observed in yeast is likely to have a comparable effect in mammalian cells. This is supported by the observation that regulatory mechanisms are largely conserved between yeast and mammalian cells. 2

Budweiser’s innovation team selected barley, one of its core ingredients, to be the focus of the first two experiments in space. Malting barley is a process that results in the high-quality malt used in the Budweiser enjoyed today and the research on the International Space Station will unveil how the barley seeds react in a unique microgravity environment. One of the experiments will focus on barley seed exposure with the second testing barley germination. Not only will the research offer insights on steps to creating beer on the Red Planet, but it could also provide valuable information on the production of barley and the larger agricultural community here on earth. 1

Companies


Budweiser (Anheuser-Busch) page at Factories in Space

Announced its intention to be the first beer on Mars.

To kick-start its research on microgravity beer, Budweiser is partnering with experts in the field, including CASIS who manages the International Space Station U.S. National Laboratory, and Space Tango, a payload development company that operates two commercial research facilities within the National Lab.

Budweiser is upholding its commitment to be the first beer on Mars by confirming upcoming experiments on the International Space Station with plans to send and study barley – one of its key ingredients – into space.

In the first experiment, "Seed Exposure," barley seeds will be kept at the orbital laboratory for 30 days to observe the effects of exposure to extended microgravity. Barley seeds are best grown in cool, dry places.

The second experiment, "Seed Germination," will test how barley seeds grow in zero-g, or weightlessness. The seeds will be nourished and irrigated in a similar way to how they are grown on Earth. On the ground, barley typically grows 6 to 10 feet tall (2 to 3 meters) in a two week period.

The 20 barley seeds will be sent to the International Space Station packaged in two Space Tango CubeLabs — 4-inch (10 centimeter) square units used to hold experiments — on SpaceX's 13th commercial resupply mission, slated for launch in December from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The seedlings will be in orbit for about a month before being brought back to Earth on the same SpaceX spacecraft for Budweiser to study.


Hopstronautix page at Factories in Space

Brewing finest craft beer from ingredients that have been in space. We launch hops, as they are the most iconic ingredient in beer.

The idea is quite simple, we want to engage people with space by providing craft beer that is brewed with ingredients that have been in space.

Yuri's space beer in collaboration with HOSTmi, Hopstronautix and BarthHaas will be named "Galactic Brews".





Revenue Estimation

Cost Estimation

Could start with only yeast and/or barley itself, which is a small percentage of mass in a 1 liter of drink.

Earthly Solution Risk

Taste might be imitated eventually, but uniqueness remains.

References

  1. Budweiser Takes Next Step to Be the First Beer on Mars. Published 2017-11-21. Accessed 2017-11-21. Source

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  2. Genotypic and Phenotypic Changes in Yeast Related to Selective Growth Pressures Unique to Microgravity (Micro-4) - 03.28.18. Accessed 2018-11-27. Source

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