&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Tipping in orbit: Scientists are launching Scotch whisky into space for 5 years")
Engineers from Japan and Scotland are gearing up to put Scotch whisky on a rocket and send it to space to try a new method to age the alcohol. For the first time, the drink will be matured in orbit, as engineers hope that this could speed up the process. It is part of an experiment which will analyse how Scotch responds to the harsh environment of space.
Nicknamed "Space Puffin", the experiment will see several samples of whisky placed in a satellite which will be launched in 2028 as part of a SpaceX supply mission to the International Space Station. It would then be deployed into orbit from the Japanese module of the space station.
The satellite, known as a CubeSat, will spend five years circling Earth. Engineers believe that as the satellite goes around the planet every 90 minutes, entering phases of extreme heat and cold, the maturation process will speed up. The journey to space and back could also add "very bold" flavours to the whiskey.
Space whisky could become the next big thing
If the experiment succeeds, space-aged whiskey might become the hottest new drink. However, considering the costs involved in not only making the whiskey, but launching it to space in a satellite, the Scotch is bound to be extremely costly. But that might not be a problem for connoisseurs who already pay hefty amounts to get their hands on rare bottles.
The whiskey samples will be placed on a CubeSat, the satellite being designed by students from Scotland and Japan. Dr Gilles Bailet, from the University of Glasgow, said several Scottish students are in Japan to co-design the satellite. He said that the aim is to see the effect of a space environment on the ageing of the whisky. He said they are ready to "bring this whisky experience into space" with the help of the best people here in Scotland.
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Whisky could mature quicker in space
Dr Bailet said the cycles of whisky "breathing" could happen much faster in space where temperatures vary between minus 150C and plus 200C in quick succession. "We build our spacecraft to be able to get an environment which is better for the whisky, but this wood will breathe faster than on Earth," he said.
For five years, scientists will monitor the whisky in space, checking its colour and chemical composition. However, cubesat won't be retrieved. Dr Bailet said he wants to scale up whisky maturation in space and "fly a full whisky-making system, with a full cask, if we’re able to collaborate with investors or other people interested about it."
