First champagne pop in space: Axiom-4 astronauts test specially designed bottle aboard ISS in bubbly milestone for humankind

A soft pop in space might soon become a real thing. For the first time ever, a specially made champagne bottle, the Mumm Cordon Rouge Stellar, is being tested aboard the International Space Station (ISS) by astronauts from the Axiom-4 mission.

This is not just a technical achievement, but also a cultural step forward for life in space. The bottle was developed by Axiom Space, a private space company, in partnership with the French champagne brand Maison Mumm. It was designed by Spade Agency, a creative design firm.

“At Axiom, we believe that the future of space travel is not just about going to new places. It’s also about making space liveable and meaningful for people,” the company said in a statement. “Testing a champagne bottle made especially for the Ax-4 mission is a big cultural moment in space history.”

Designed for zero gravity

Spade Agency founder Octave de Gaulle explained that designing a bottle for space is no easy task. It’s not only about dealing with weightlessness and pressure, but also about holding on to something familiar and emotional.

“With Mumm Stellar, we weren’t just solving engineering problems,” said de Gaulle. “We were trying to keep something meaningful alive in space.”

What’s next? Cooking in space

After the champagne project, Axiom and Spade are now working together on something new, a space kitchen. They’re designing a galley (kitchen area) for the Axiom Station, a future modular space station being built for commercial use.

This could mean that one day, astronauts (and even space tourists) might not only toast with champagne in orbit, but also enjoy freshly made meals.

Inputs from TOI