Latest news with #zeroGravity
Yahoo
24-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Mumm Cordon Rouge Stellar takes champagne into space
The first champagne crafted for conditions of zero gravity celebrates a historic mission into space REIMS, France, July 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Mumm Cordon Rouge Stellar is back on Earth after its debut flight into space. On 25 June 2025, the first champagne adapted to space launched on an Axiom Space mission from Florida, returning to Earth 15 July 2025 in perfect condition in its specially designed, state-of-the-art bottle. This historic event represents the culmination of nine years of research and experimentation, during which Maison Mumm, in collaboration with a community of experts, once again pushed the boundaries, continuing the explorations it began when it was founded in 1827. To view the Multimedia News Release, please click: Beyond the technological achievement of this brilliantly executed mission, Mumm Cordon Rouge Stellar is a powerful symbol of the spirit of celebration and conviviality, which – having united people on Earth for centuries – will in future extend into space. An unprecedented mission, nine years in the making The project that took Mumm Cordon Rouge Stellar into space began in 2017, when Maison Mumm assembled an expert team: Octave de Gaulle, founder of SPADE, which specializes in designing products and experiences for human life beyond Earth; the CNES (Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales), France's national space agency; and Jean-François Clervoy, an astronaut with the European Space Agency, and the veteran of three NASA space missions. The first prototype of Mumm Cordon Rouge Stellar was presented in 2018, resulting in an initial set of observations, both technical and oenological. These were integrated into the design of a second prototype, produced in 2022, which also conformed to CNES specifications for safety and tasting in conditions of zero gravity. That same year, Maison Mumm announced its collaboration with Axiom Space, which would carry Mumm Cordon Rouge Stellar on a future, real-life mission. The final, crucial step before the mission could go ahead was a zero-gravity test flight, which was successfully completed in March 2025. And so, after nine years, on 25 June, Mumm Cordon Rouge Stellar blasted off from Florida, as part of Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4). The Ax-4 Commander Peggy Whitson, former NASA astronaut and biochemistry researcher, was accompanied by an international crew. The mission returned to Earth on 15 July, with Mumm Cordon Rouge Stellar in apparently flawless condition. In approximately five months' time, Yann Munier, Cellar Master of Maison Mumm, will be authorized to open the bottle and taste the world's first champagne to have voyaged into space. A new frontier The unique feat achieved by Mumm Cordon Rouge Stellar perpetuates Maison Mumm's heritage of exploration, and once again demonstrates its capacity – in this case quite literally – to open new frontiers. The House's pioneering spirit has long been epitomized by Mumm Cordon Rouge, which – over a century before it launched into space – accompanied Commandant Charcot, the first Frenchman to lead an Antarctic expedition, on his historic quest to the Polar Circle in 1904. From the ends of the earth to the outer reaches of space… "Over and above its contribution to space exploration, the significance of this project lies in what champagne represents – shared values, an enduring art de vivre, a symbol of our culture – and in the possibility of recreating it in an entirely new environment," comments César Giron, CEO of Maison Mumm. While Mumm Cordon Rouge is synonymous with earthly celebrations, Mumm Cordon Rouge Stellar preserves, beyond the boundaries of our planet, the memory of a terroir, a climate, a savoir-faire and a ritual of conviviality – in short, a symbolic link to life on Earth. Sébastien Barde, Deputy Director of Exploration and Human Spaceflight at CNES, adds: "The Mumm Cordon Rouge Stellar project is a concrete example of the importance of considering conviviality and shared rituals in space. For CNES, these human dimensions are essential to the success of long-duration missions. By supporting projects like this one, we are exploring ways to improve the psychological well-being of crews and address the cultural challenges of human space exploration." Pushing the boundaries of design and winemaking Mumm Cordon Rouge Stellar represented a two-fold challenge: of design and of winemaking. The design had not only to respect the stringent safety standards of a space mission, but also to preserve and ensure the precious champagne bottle remained intact. Futuristic in conception, it features a glass half-bottle secured by an opening and closing mechanism of stainless steel – the same material used by Maison Mumm for its vats in Reims. The bottle is protected within a sleek outer casing of aeronautical-grade aluminum, emblazoned with the iconic red ribbon of Mumm Cordon Rouge. The casing's long neck, ending in a cork secured by a metal ring, was designed to allow the champagne to be served in conditions of zero gravity. The second, and equally important, aspect of the challenge involved the champagne itself. In order to counteract the dulling of the senses of smell and taste that occurs in space, the blend of Mumm Cordon Rouge had to be subtly tweaked. "The freshness and power of Mumm Cordon Rouge were retained, while the intensity of the aromas was heightened by extended aging and the addition of a dosage liqueur made from wines raised in oak casks," explains Yann Munier. Mumm Cordon Rouge Stellar is a way of encapsulating our culture, the memory of the terroir and tasting ritual that make champagne what it is. ABOUT G.H. MUMM G.H. Mumm – named after its founder Georges Hermann Mumm – has chosen Pinot Noir to define the style of its champagnes since its creation in 1827. For almost two centuries, its expertise has been dedicated to revealing the rich nuances of its signature grape variety. From the iconic Mumm Cordon Rouge to Mumm Blanc de Noirs, G.H. Mumm is an expert in selecting and blending the finest terroirs to express the diversity of Champagne's Pinot Noir grapes. G.H. Mumm champagnes are distinguished by their exacting quality standards and singular aromatic personality: intense freshness, generous fruit and elegant structure, achieved after between two and five years' aging in the cellars in Reims, France. PRESS CONTACT Laurie ENJOY RESPONSIBLY View original content: SOURCE Mumm Cordon Rouge Stellar
The Sun
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Conspiracy theorists spot baffling ‘proof' new Space Station clip is FAKE & say: ‘They are NOT in zero gravity'
CONSPIRACY theorists have claimed that a space station video is fake - because of a glass of water. Online sceptics blasted a video of China's Tiangong Space Station which showed a glass of water in zero gravity behaving in a so-called unnatural manner. 3 3 In the viral footage, three astronauts are seen standing on board the station, with a glass of water on a table to their left. The glass and the water inside it appear to be completely still - despite the microgravity environment. Tin foil hat-wearing social media users poured out online - slamming the "unbelievable" footage and calling the whole thing a stunt. Many speculated that water's behaviour on a space station should see the liquid rising into spheres and floating around the room. Rather than stay in its glass, the water should be able to fly around the room in bubbles just like in the movies, baffled theorists said. One confused user said on X: "Call me crazy but if I was orbiting the Earth at 17,500 mph in Zero Gravity surrounded by complex computers…I probably wouldn't risk an unconcealed glass of water resting on the table." Another suggested: "The water wouldn't stay in the glass. It would be floating." Although the online hysteria sent many conspiracy theorists into a debunking frenzy - there is actually a simple explanation for the water's seemingly unnatural behaviour. But this didn't stop others jumping on the bandwagon, with another user saying: "That water should be floating around like bubbles." Scores of curious viewers came to the conclusion that the video must have been filmed on Earth. Incredible video shows how US will mine the MOON to help humans establish new home in space One user said: "Apparently they are not in zero gravity as water stays in the glass." Another weighed in: "Yep, it's fake. They are not in zero gravity." A third user even asked: "So, they're not in space?" Theorists were then sent down an even deeper rabbit hole after Elon Musk's Grok AI system started misinforming users in response to their questions. In one response, Musk's AI chatbot claimed: "Yes, water would float out of a glass in a space station due to microgravity." Still puzzling viewers, the video confused even more users who then seemingly lost their temper. One raged: "This is ridiculous. The water wouldn't stay in the glass. Why do they insist in surrounding us in a sea of lies?" Another blasted: "They are not in zero G it's an act. They are walking on an uneven surface to create a slight floating effect by they are still grounded." While another fumed: "At this stage I think they are doing it on purpose, to wake people up. "You can't tell them, you have to show them." However, there is a rational explanation for the water's behaviour in the video. The most important thing to note is that according to science, this is exactly how an open glass of water in microgravity should act. Space historian Jordan Bimm told AP: "Water molecules like to stick to glass and also to other water molecules more than they like to disperse in the air. "So if there is no external force, water remains in 'clumps' in the weightless environment, and in this case inside the glass." How does zero gravity affect water? by Harvey Geh Water is composed of slightly positive hydrogen atoms and slightly negative oxygen atoms. These pull towards each other, much like opposite ends of a magnet. In zero gravity, water can form into floating blobs that drift freely. But this effect also gives water a strong surface tension, which helps it stick to surfaces and hold its shape. The liquid sticks to surfaces like glass because water molecules naturally cling to each other and whatever they touch. When the surface tension kicks in, it acts like an invisible skin that keeps the water in a neat, round shape. With no gravity to pull it down, tipping a glass won't make the water move. That's why astronauts use sealed pouches and straws to drink, instead of open containers. Water does not float out of glasses in space because of how its molecules behave in microgravity. The molecules in water are strongly attracted to each other and to the glass, which keeps the liquid clumped together and stuck to the inside of the cup. This effect, known as surface tension, means the water can sit still and appear as if it's behaving normally — even without gravity holding it down. In fact, astronauts often struggle to pour liquids in space. That is why they are usually seen drinking from squeezable pouches and using straws, not open containers. It can actually be very hard or even impossible to get water out of an open container in microgravity. The glass of water seen in the video was part of a lesson. The clip was taken from a broadcast called Tiangong Class, where Chinese astronauts perform science demos for schoolkids back on Earth. In this case, they were showing how buoyancy works differently in space, using water and a ping-pong ball to explain the science. Another video posted on Chinese site Weibo shows one astronaut carefully filling the same glass with a straw before carefully sticking it to the table with Velcro. One sharp-eyed viewer hit back at the theorists saying: 'It's not like you couldn't just spend five minutes researching this stuff.'
News.com.au
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Porn star's bucket list item revealed
One of the world's most well know adult film stars has revealed the one sex act that she is yet to tick off of her bucket list. Angela White, who grew up in Australia before entering the sex industry at 18 and relocating to the United States, has done a lot during her time in porn. She recently picked up two awards — including Most Popular Female Performer — at the Pornhub Awards. However, there is still one place that Ms White is yet to do the deed that she wants to tick off. 'I want to have sex in space,' she told adding she loved the idea of having intercourse in zero gravity. 'I'm so fascinated and curious about it — although even if I can't make space happen, maybe I can convince a zero gravity place to let me experience it.' She said she thought visually the weightlessness of it all would be 'hypnotising' and likened it to having intercourse in the water. Ms White also said there would be a humorous element to certain sex acts when zero gravity was thrown into the mix. She did say this was likely a pipedream, calling it expensive and unrealistic. 'I'd just love to experience that,' she said. Ms White also revealed the things that she would never do in a scene — which included anything illegal, derogatory or hateful. 'I really just focus on things that are fun and working with directors that I enjoy being on set with and working with performers that I have genuine connection with. Those are what I focus on,' she added. Ms White, who owns her own production company, also said another thing that can be hard in the industry is meeting a strict deadline. For instance, her award-winning film F*** ANGELA was released on DVD, VHS and in a digital format. So having those moving parts and trying to get everything ready for releasing on a specific day, that's stressful,' she said. 'But I mean it's part of the job as long as you have good time management skills you can usually get it done.' But, Ms White said, much like real life, whatever can go wrong will typically go wrong. This can be anything from a cancellation, a location falling through or an actor pulling out. She said that can be stressful. Last year, Ms White revealed that in reality, the pornography industry – outside of filming a scene – is filled with incredibly corporate compliance checks that Jim from accounting can relate to. 'A lot of people still think it's a shady industry, when in reality it is very corporate – there is so much compliance,' she told 'There is so much paperwork.' The paperwork Ms White refers to includes 2257s — which makes performers verify their ages and name to prevent child exploitation. Before each scene, each performer must show identification to prove they are of age on video. Then there is a boundary checklist that includes every sex act you can imagine, which performers go through together with a model liaison. 'We go through and say 'yes' or 'no' or ask for clarification,' she said, adding that this exercise can take anywhere between 15 and 30 minutes.
