Can whisky age faster in space? Scientists plan new mission
What's the story
In a first, scientists are planning to age Scotch whisky in space. The unique experiment will see Scotland's national drink sent to orbit for the first time. The project is aimed at not only speeding up the whisky aging process but also studying how it evolves in the harsh conditions of outer space.
Mission details
Whisky to be sent on 5-year journey around Earth
Engineers in Scotland and Japan plan to launch Scotch on a rocket in 2028.
The mission will send a satellite with samples of whisky and its base ingredients on a five-year journey around Earth.
The extreme temperature variations experienced by the whisky during this time could speed up its maturation process, potentially leading to the creation of space-aged whisky with 'very bold' flavors.
Project overview
'Space Puffin' experiment to launch on SpaceX supply mission
The whisky experiment, dubbed 'Space Puffin,' will launch the cubesat on a SpaceX supply mission to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2028.
From there, it will be deployed into orbit from the Japanese module of the space station.
The cubesat will contain tiny samples of whisky and its base ingredients, which will be closely monitored during their time in space.
Production process
How whisky will be monitored during the mission
On Earth, whisky is made by mixing barley with water and yeast. The yeast breaks down the sugars in the barley, producing ethanol as a by-product.
The whisky on the cubesat will be monitored throughout its space journey, providing data on its color and chemical composition back to scientists on Earth.
This will help them understand how space conditions affect whisky aging.
Expansion goals
Scaling up whisky maturation in space
While the cubesat won't be recovered after its five-year mission, Dr. Gilles Bailet from the University of Glasgow hopes to scale up whisky maturation in space.
He envisions a system to launch Scotch into space and bring it back to Earth after maturation.
"We are really keen to be able to actually fly a full whisky-making system, with a full cask," he said, adding that it's possible to return something like a liter of whisky within three-to-five years.