Space News and Brews: Houston’s Craft Beer Scene Reaches for the Stars with NASA Collaboration
Joe Ott
Houston, known for its superb beer selection, is also home to the impressive Johnson Space Center, with its long history of human space flight. The latest installment of SPACE NEWS AND BREWS is a unique blend of the craft Houston beer scene and space-bound interests, a combination that is sure to pique your scientific curiosity while tantalizing your taste buds.
This August, Space Center Houston, the commercial visitor center adjacent to Johnson Space Center, teamed up with Bad Astronaut Brewery to host an event centered around a panel of NASA guest speakers, engineer Chris Matty, and seasoned Shuttle Astronaut Dr. Anna Fischer, sharing their stories of space ventures and answering questions from an audience of all ages.
The event kicked off with a presentation of current NASA activities and initiatives, instantly sparking wonder with awe-inspiring views of Low Earth Orbit and the international space station. The room was filled with the importance of human space flight, as the beauty of stellar imagery captivated the audience faster than a beer funnel in a black hole.
Of course, the challenges of space exploration are not only limited to human capabilities. Many of NASA’s efforts include robotic exploration of space, sending probes and terrain-based rovers to collect information to inform future human activities in the extremely inhospitable environments of space. The latest effort to return to the Moon and the lunar surface is encompassed by NASA’s Artemis Program, a monumental undertaking that aims to land the first woman and person of color on the moon to establish a permanent presence on our closest celestial neighbor. The pride of what was occurring right next door was more palpable than the cold brews experienced on this swelteringly hot day.
The importance of large teams working towards a joint mission rightfully parallels the craft brew community in Houston. Most importantly, the Houston craft scene celebrates achievements as a whole city—as Space City. The commonality of successful brewing and accomplishing vital missions includes pushing boundaries, bridging new partnerships, and celebrating those who came before us.
As the SPACE NEWS and BREWS event ended, the interest in the room was at its peak. Once it ended, the NASA panel signed autographs and took pictures with all the families in attendance. Clearly, the fascination with space flight, combined with the love of craft beer, was a winning combination for Space City and its reputation. The Space Center Houston plans to expand more space events in the brewery scene and continue inspiring generations of technologists and explorers to advance humankind.
Houston Beer Guide will keep you tapped into the latest Space News and Brews events. Stay tuned in to lift off with us again soon!
Visit Space Center Houston online at https://spacecenter.org/.
POST YOUR COMMENTS