ISS-fermented sake auctioned for $700,000 to fund Japanese space program

A bottle of sake fermented on the International Space Station sold for $700,000 at auction, with proceeds supporting Japan's space program. The sake, produced by Japanese brewer Dassai in collaboration with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, was aged for up to a year in microgravity. The sale demonstrates the commercial potential of space-based manufacturing and helps fund further space exploration initiatives.