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SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft touched down off the coast of Florida on Wednesday evening carrying research material, equipment and 12 bottles of French some wine.
But not just any wine!
These bottles of wine and some vines had spent about a year on the International Space Station, orbiting the world in the name of science.
The wine will not be open until the end of February. That’s when Space Cargo Unlimited plans to open a bottle or two for an extraordinary wine tasting in Bordeaux, France.
Agricultural science is the main objective of the research, explains Nicolas Gaume, chef and co-founder of the company. But he admits it will be fun to try the wine. He will be one of the lucky few to taste it, alongside some French wine experts.
Months of chemical testing will follow. Researchers want to see how space changed sedimentation in wine and bubbles. Sedimentation is the process in which material is transported to the bottom of a liquid.
Gaume told The Associated Press that the goal of his company is to try to understand “how we are going to have agriculture tomorrow that is both organic and healthy and able to feed humanity. Gaume added: “We believe that space has key. “
With climate change, La Gaume has added agricultural products such as grapes to be able to live in more difficult conditions. Through a series of space experiments, Space Cargo Unlimited hopes to use what has been learned to make plants stronger on Earth.
There is another reason for doing such space research. La Gaume expects that future explorers on the Moon and Mars will want to enjoy some of the beautiful things on Earth. “Being French is part of life to have good food and good wine,” he says.
The wine bottles were kept in steel containers for safety reasons when they made it to the space station on a Northrop Grumman ship in November 2019. The 320 pieces of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon vines, known as cannes in the viticulture sector, were left on the SpaceX spacecraft last March.
Currently, SpaceX’s Dragon is the only spacecraft capable of returning space station experiments and other objects to Earth. Others burn in the atmosphere on their return.
I am Bryan Lynn.
Marcia Dunn reported on this story for The Associated Press. John Russell adapted it to learn English. Hai Do was the editor.
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Words in this story
some wine – not. an alcoholic drink made from grape juice
vine – not. a climbing plant on which grapes grow
bubble – not. a small round ball of air or gas inside a liquid
organic – adj. food: grown or manufactured without the use of key man-made chemicals
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