“Don’t tell me that man doesn’t belong out there. Man belongs wherever he wants to go – and he’ll do plenty well when he gets there.” – Wernher von Braun, 1958
A Japanese brewery is reaching for the stars with its latest venture, blending tradition and innovation in an unprecedented way. Asahi Shuzo, famed for its Dassai sake (a rice wine), has revealed a groundbreaking plan to ferment sake aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Dubbed “Dassai MOON – Space Brew,” the project aims to explore uncharted territory in sake production while carrying a lofty price and vision.
Scheduled for the latter part of 2025, the experiment involves sending essential sake ingredients — Yamada Nishiki rice, koji mold, yeast, and water — to the ISS for fermentation in microgravity. After the process, a single 100ml bottle will return to Earth and be sold for an extraordinary ¥100 million (approximately $650,000usd). Proceeds from the sale will be donated to advance Japanese space exploration efforts.
The International Space Station. Photo by NASA
This celestial endeavor represents the first phase of Asahi Shuzo’s ambitious dream of brewing sake on the Moon. Looking ahead to potential lunar colonization in the 2040s, the company envisions creating sake from lunar water and rice for future residents and tourists. “In a future where humans can freely travel between the moon and Earth, some will visit the moon as tourists, Uetsuki said.
This project aims to create sake that can be enjoyed on the moon, allowing visitors to have delightful moments there.”
Before the ingredients make their journey to the ISS, Asahi Shuzo is testing fermentation under conditions mimicking lunar gravity, which is about one-sixth of Earth’s. Uetsuki acknowledged the hurdles, noting, “There’s no guarantee of success for fermentation tests.” Gravity’s effects on heat transfer, a critical element in fermentation, add to the challenge.
Beyond sake, the research could impact other Japanese fermented foods like natto and miso, potentially broadening the applications of fermentation in space. “These technologies could significantly influence our culinary traditions,” Uetsuki added.
To bring this vision to life, Shuzo is collaborating with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), utilizing the Kibo module on the ISS to refine their methods in a microgravity environment. Well known for their premium sake, often priced in the thousands, Shuzo insists this project is more than a marketing ploy. The company aims to deepen scientific understanding of fermentation in space, paving the way for producing high-quality fermented products off-planet.
“This project aims to create sake that can be enjoyed on the moon, allowing visitors to have delightful moments there,” Uetsuki said. The company is now developing space brewing equipment and is planning a launch date of late 2025.
