Champagne stoppers in space: How cork will protect the next spacecraft to visit the Moon

When you think of cork, you might associate it with the pop of a champagne bottle on New Year's Eve. However, this versatile tree bark is set to play a crucial role in ensuring the safety of astronauts as humanity plans its return to the Moon. The space age has ushered in a plethora of cutting-edge gadgets and innovative materials, ranging from super-strong alloys to memory foam. Yet, it's somewhat surprising to see the next phase of space exploration relying on a humble substance like cork.

This ancient material, harvested from the bark of trees around the Mediterranean, is perhaps most familiar to us as the stoppers in wine and champagne bottles. However, its unique properties have led to its use in critical components of space rocket hardware, and its role is expected to grow in the coming years. As we witness an exponential growth in space travel, with commercial space companies making it increasingly affordable to launch satellites and spacecraft into orbit, the importance of cork cannot be overstated.

However, rocket launches can have a significant environmental impact. Therefore, scientists and space agencies are exploring ways to make space flight more sustainable. Many are turning to natural materials as a means of reducing their impact on the Earth and beyond. But can trees withstand the harsh conditions of space? And what does sustainability mean in the context of the aerospace industry? These are questions that need to be addressed as we venture further into the cosmos.