Eau de Space

Last updated: 25 October 2026

What Eau de Space is

The chemist Steve Pearce, who founded the flavour company Omega Ingredients, built the original formula from astronauts' own descriptions. According to Mental Floss, NASA developed it in 2008 so astronauts could get their noses used to the smell before a mission.

A team led by product manager Matt Richmond then brought it to the public through Kickstarter in 2020. Since then, the Eau de Space shop has sold it alongside Eau de Luna, its smell of the Moon.

What it does

• Recreates a smell: it copies the smell astronauts have described from space, rather than a perfume for a night out.
• Sprays from an atomiser: meanwhile, the 100ml bottle has a fine spray, like a normal fragrance.
• Starts a conversation: it suits a classroom, a party or a space-themed birthday, where people take turns to sniff.

Key facts

• Price: £37.18 at the Eau de Space shop
• Size: 100ml (3.4 fl oz)
• Format: atomiser spray bottle
• Scent notes: hot metal, seared steak, welding fumes and gunpowder, according to the maker
• Origin: based on a 2008 NASA training scent by Steve Pearce of Omega Ingredients
• Sister scent: Eau de Luna, the smell of the Moon

Who Eau de Space suits

• Space and science fans: it is a real link to astronaut training, not just a space-themed label.
• Teachers and science clubs: one bottle gives a whole class something to smell and talk about.
• Anyone hard to buy for: because it is so unusual, it is a present they are unlikely to own already.

For more presents for people who look up, see our gifts for techies.

The limits

First, it does not smell like a perfume. Seared steak and gunpowder are the point, so do not buy it as a scent to wear to work.

The shop prices in US dollars and converts them into pounds, so the £37.18 figure can move with the exchange rate. I struggled to find a UK stockist, and Amazon UK search showed only other brands. So check the delivery cost and time at checkout.

Finally, £37.18 is a lot for a novelty spray, so it suits a special present more than a stocking filler.

Where to buy Eau de Space in the UK

The official Eau de Space shop sells the 100ml bottle and lets UK buyers pay in pounds. The Eau de Space product page has the scent description and the bottle details.

Eau de Space at the official shop

FAQs

What does Eau de Space smell like?

The maker lists hot metal, seared steak, welding fumes and gunpowder, which is how astronauts have described the smell of space.

Did NASA make Eau de Space?

NASA developed the original training scent in 2008 with the chemist Steve Pearce. Eau de Space is the public version, launched on Kickstarter in 2020.

How much is Eau de Space in the UK?

£37.18 for 100ml at the official shop, which converts the price from US dollars.

Can I wear Eau de Space as a perfume?

You can, but it smells of metal and smoke rather than anything floral. The maker sells it as a gift for space and science fans.

Is there a Moon version?

Yes. Eau de Luna is the maker's smell of the Moon, sold on the same shop.

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