Bengaluru-based aerospace startup, Team Indus,
may launch a spacecraft on-board ISRO’s
Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) to conduct
a series of experiments on the Moon including
brewing beer to observe survival-duration
of yeast in space.
The interesting information was shared by
the government in response to a Parliament
Question, asked by the Trinamool Congress
member Sisir Kumar Adhikari on Wednesday.
He wanted to know whether an Indian Spacecraft
is planning to brew beer on the Moon.
Though the minister of state in the Prime
Minister’s Office Jitendra Singh told the
House in his written response that there was
no plan to brew beer on the Moon by any spacecraft
to be made by Indian Space Research Organisation
(ISRO), he while referring to certain media
reports noted that the Team Indus is “proposing
an experiment to brew beer on the Moon using
yeast”.
The Team Indus a privately funded team under
the Bengaluru-based Axiom Research Labs Private
Limited.
The minister said, “As understood, the aim
of this experiment is to test and observe
the survivability of yeast in space and how
it performs under Moon’s gravity conditions.
The experiment plans to brew a small batch
of beer in space”.The minister informed
the House that the Team Indus is competing
for the Google Lunar XPRIZE competition towards
building a spacecraft capable of soft landing
and roving on the Moon.
“The spacecraft is proposed to be launched
on-board ISRO’s PSLV under a commercial
launch agreement”, he said.
According to reports, the $30M Google Lunar
XPRIZE is a global competition to challenge
and inspire engineers and entrepreneurs to
develop low-cost methods of robotic space
exploration.
The Team Indus is reportedly the only Indian
team competing for the Google Lunar XPRIZE.
Besides experiment on brewing beer on Moon,
this aerospace start-up has planned 25 more
experiments including photosynthesis and water
recycling.
Responding to Adhikari’s question on universal
rules on Moon lander, the minister said that
the activities in outer space including Moon
and other celestial bodies are governed by
UN treaties on outer space activities.
“These treaties and policies govern the
scientific exploratory activities in outer
space, Moon and other celestial bodies using
human made spacecraft, landers, rovers etc.
without causing harmful contaminations to
the environment in outer space, Moon and other
celestial bodies and to Earth as well by bringing
extra-terrestrial materials.
Such activities need to be authorized by the
State concerned (country)”, said Singh.
