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First came dogs, then monkeys, and finally humans - so what's the next logical step in mankind's space exploration endeavours?

Fortunately one group of amateur rocketeers in Portland, Oregon has the answer - they've been busy sending kegs of beer on rocket trips to the final front-beer.

And in September they're planning their most ambitious launch yet as their two-stage rocket will take beer closer than it's ever been to the cosmos.

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A group of amateur rocekteers from Portland, Oregon is planning to launch a keg of beer towards space in September. They have previously launched the rocket (shown, keg is at the top) in 2008 and 2012, but this will be the highest flight of the rocket yet, expected to reach about 20,000 feet (3.8 miles; 6.1 kilometres)

The group are known as Team Numb, and have completed two successful launches before.

The first came in 2008, when they sent a 15 gallon keg (68 litres) of beer on their 11-foot (3.4 metres) tall, 350-pound (160 kilograms) rocket to a height of 6,200 feet (1,900 metres).

This was followed by another launch in 2012, which flew to 7,700 feet (2,350 metres).

But now the team are hoping to more than double their ceiling with their later launch, which is expected to reach close to an altitude of 20,000 feet (3.8 miles; 6.1 kilometres) at a speed of 650 miles (1,050 kilometres) per hour.

Admittedly it's a small fraction of the distance to the 'true' boundary of space, 62 miles (100 kilometres) up, but it's surely a step in the right direction for beer enthusiasts the world over.

The team's rocket has two 'stages', different segments holding fuel and cargo.

The first stage has four of the team's large 'N-Class' motors, which will provide 1,000 pounds of thrust for 3.5 seconds.

For a bit of comparison Nasa's Saturn V rocket, the largest rocket ever to fly, had a thrust of 7.5 million pounds at launch.

Team Numb's rocket is powered by a solid rocket propellant known as Alumaflame, which looks like gray Styrofoam and burns with a violet flame.

Going where no ale has gone before. The beer keg rocket

After reaching its max altitude the rocket descends and a parachute brings the keg back to the ground. Here the team then tap the keg and have a drink of beer after a hard day's work as rocket scientists

The first stage of the rocket will carry a small five-gallon (23 litres) keg of beer, while the second (upper) stage of the rocket has a 15-gallon (68 litres) keg of beer.

After launching and reaching max altitude, a parachute deploys and brings the beer back to a rather bumpy landing.

Once reaching the rocket the team will then proceed to 'tap' the keg of beer and drink it, just like they've done on the last two launches.

The team were seeking £1,160 ($2,000) on Kickstarter to help with funding for the project, but they've now reached their goal.

And beer-lovers can look forward to the launch in September of this year, although the team warns success is not guaranteed.

'No one else has ever tried to launch a full keg,' say Team Numb.