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Coca-Cola Space Can

Specifications

Coca-Cola Space Can

Category

Science and Technology

Classification

CHENHALL - Food Service T&E - Drinking Vessels

Object Origin
Manufacturer:

The Coca-Cola Company

Date Manufactured:

1985

Physical Characteristics

Object Description: Red, white and silver metal beverage soda can with special top attachment. Circular attachment that has a drinking port extending from one side. The drinking port is also plastic and has a screwed on lid. The lid has a string attached from the lid to the can.

Marks: Graphic: "Coke/ CocaCola 12 FL OZ 354 mL" Hand written on top tab and bottom: "3-B", NASA ID sticker on the lower half of can: " CARBONATED BEVERAGE/ DISPENSER/ PN: USA8500**ED/ SIN: 3B"; Taped instructions on lid titled "DRINKING INSTRUCTIONS"

Measurements: Object:
    Height: 5.75 in, Diameter: 2.75 in

Credit

Gift of The Coca-Cola Company, 1986.17

Display Status

On Exhibit

Coca-Cola Space Can

About: Coca-Cola Space Can

About: Coca-Cola Space Can

This Coca-Cola can was flown on Space Shuttle Challenger during the STS 51F mission in July 1985. It was part of an experiment designed to study the behavior of liquids, especially carbonated liquids, in microgravity, an environment that is not under the influence of Earth’s gravity. The experiment demonstrated that the carbonation (carbon dioxide) of these drinks affects both the movement and behavior of carbonated liquids in space.


During the experiment, astronauts noted that the bubbles that result from carbonated liquids behaved differently than on Earth. In microgravity, the bubbles had no preferred direction of movement like they do on Earth where they rise upwards instead. Also, in microgravity, the bubbles tended to cluster together and grow larger which is not the case on Earth. Finally, the astronauts observed that opening the can in space caused a more chaotic release of the carbon dioxide in all directions rather than rising straight up as it would on Earth.

Additional information

Copyright information

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