First in Space: Coke Was It, by Eight Hours

WASHINGTON —  Coca-Cola, gulped first, declared victory today over Pepsi in their great space race. NASA said, yes, “Coke Was It” in space--for at least eight hours, or until astronauts popped a Pepsi too.

Space agency officials confirmed what Coke was bragging about with full-page ads in papers around the country that proclaimed: “The first soft drink enjoyed in space was a Coke. Of Course.”

Pepsi public relations director Becky Madeira commented: “It’s about as relevant as who’s first in the birth of twins. If they were first to be tested, it was the new Coke, and you can be sure they had to wash it down with a Pepsi.”

Jack Riley, a NASA spokesman, said that astronauts aboard the space shuttle opened the Coke space container ahead of Pepsi because Coca-Cola executives were the first to submit an application to have their soft drink tested on Challenger.

The astronauts completed an evaluation form on how the soft drink containers worked in space. Coke had a screw-top container. Pepsi went with a pop-top lid.

Which technology was better will be officially released at a news conference by the astronauts Wednesday.