FROM TIME TO TIME, there was talk among the astronauts that it might be nice to have a drink with dinner. Beer is a no-fly, because without gravity, carbonation bubbles don't rise to the surface. "You just get a foamy froth," says Bourland. He says Coke spent $450,000 developing a zero-gravity dispenser, only to be undone by biology. Since bubbles also don't rise to the top of a stomach, the astronauts had trouble burping. "Often a burp is accompanied by a liquid spray," Bourland adds.
There was occasional discussion among astronauts about enjoying a drink during their meals in space. However, beer was deemed unsuitable for consumption since carbonation bubbles do not rise in a zero-gravity environment, leading only to a frothy mess. According to Bourland, Coca-Cola invested significantly in creating a zero-gravity beverage dispenser but faced challenges related to human biology, which rendered the effort unfeasible.
Moreover, due to the absence of gravity, astronauts experienced difficulties when trying to burp, as the bubbles that typically rise in a normal stomach remained trapped. Bourland explains that this often led to unexpected liquid spillage when burping, making the consumption of carbonated drinks problematic in space. This insight highlights the unique challenges of dining in a microgravity setting.
