A Japanese brewery Tuesday said it was planning the first "space beer," using offspring of barley once stored at the International Space Station.
4 ]2 }3 J5 [" b+ W' x Researchers said the project was part of efforts to prepare for a future in which humans spend extended periods of time in space -- and might like a cold beer after a space walk.1 S$ Q& v8 w$ x; N3 x. ^
Japanese brewery Sapporo Holdings said it would make beer using the third generation of barley grains that had spent five months on the International Space Station in 2006.
6 G: `( g, i( Q+ v9 _/ m "We want to finish the beer by November. It will be the first space beer," Sapporo executive Junichi Ichikawa told reporters.! \) \; A! c' F. ]" ^- V- Q
The company will have enough space grain to produce about 100 bottles of beer but has no immediate plan to make it a commercial venture, Sapporo officials said.
/ D2 B5 a" F9 n( o6 u: S The company teamed up on the project with Okayama University biologist Manabu Sugimoto, who has been part of a Russian space project to explore ways to grow edible plants in space.
, T5 H8 u0 u3 c Barley can grow in relatively tough environments, such as high and low temperatures, and is rich in fibre and nutrients, making it ideal for space agriculture, the professor said.
) b% D& f4 W: X+ J) s/ g2 {1 a "In the future, we may reach a point where humans will spend an extended period of time in space and must grow food to sustain ourselves," Sugimoto said.0 ^1 Z$ e3 r) I, K) D. B9 k5 e
As of now, scientists have not detected any differences between Earth-grown and space barley, said Sugimoto, who will present DNA analysis of his findings at a conference in Canada in July.) }; `" G& i5 `; W4 r+ k
"In the long run, we hope our space research will be not just about producing food, but about enjoying food and relaxing," Sugimoto said.
2 ~/ J. r! c0 `# N It was the latest space experiment with food.7 C! P# Y \# H0 Q; \
South Korea's first astronaut, Yi So-Yeon, brought kimchi into space last month, while Japan has previously sent noodles into orbit. |