The ban on astronauts consuming alcoholic beverages aboard the International Space Station may soon be lifted. This comes in response to Russian officials calling for the allowance of overworked astronauts the opportunity to recover their strength.
A member of the medical team for the crewed space program stated: “They have spent half a year in orbit with a heavy workload, particularly during stressful spacewalks, and can lose several kilograms in just a few hours. A small amount of alcohol may help them regain their strength“.
Moderate alcohol consumption was previously accepted on Russia’s former MIR space station. However, since the collaboration between Russia and the United States on the International Space Station (ISS), strict prohibitions have been enforced.
New Year’s gifts on the flight to the ISS are reportedly said to include chocolate flavored with liquor, which is seen as a preliminary step towards lifting the ban. However, this initial move is only from the Russian side, while NASA remains keen on maintaining a complete prohibition.
