Coffee in space! Astronaut shares unique morning brew experience on the ISS; video goes viral - WATCH

By Sunita Iyer | First Published Oct 2, 2023, 5:14 PM IST

ESA shared the video with the caption, "Our astronaut demonstrates how she has her morning coffee in space!" accompanied by the hashtag #InternationalCoffeeDay.

The European Space Agency (ESA) recently shared a captivating video on X (formerly known as Twitter), offering viewers a glimpse into an astronaut's unique experience of preparing and savouring a cup of coffee while aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The video commences with astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti transferring coffee from a packet into a specially designed, compact container. However, as she attempts to take a sip, the liquid behaves differently due to the absence of gravity. In response, she reaches for a specially engineered cup, successfully pours the coffee into it, and enjoys her caffeine fix without any issues. A text overlay on the screen identifies this remarkable cup as a 'space cup.'

ESA shared the video with the caption, "Our astronaut demonstrates how she has her morning coffee in space!" accompanied by the hashtag #InternationalCoffeeDay. This post was made on October 1, a day celebrated worldwide as International Coffee Day, dedicated to promoting coffee as a beloved beverage.

How do you like your coffee?☕️

Our astronaut demonstrates how she has her morning coffee in space! pic.twitter.com/UKA1Hy0EWW

— ESA (@esa)

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The video has garnered significant attention, accumulating 250,000 views, over 2,000 likes, and nearly 600 retweets. Numerous social media users have chimed in with their amazement and admiration.

One user aptly observed, "It's the little things that remind us of the reality of a space-faring civilization."

Another highlighted, "If I'm not mistaken, she was the first person to enjoy coffee in space with the ISSpresso."

A third individual expressed their heartfelt support, saying, "I wish you a beautiful morning and send my best wishes to all astronauts. You're doing great!"

Injecting a touch of humor, a fourth person quipped, "I can't live without coffee! That's why I couldn't be an astronaut."

Now, let's delve into the fascinating world of these specially designed space cups:

NASA, in a blog post, provided insight into the development of these microgravity cups, emphasizing their importance in enhancing the coffee-drinking experience for astronauts.

"The results will validate and guide mathematical models that enable engineers to manipulate capillary fluid physics (capillary fluidics) for designing containers tailored to specific tasks," NASA explained.

To shed light on the functionality of these space cups, NASA stated, "Touching your lips to the rim of the Space Cup establishes a capillary connection, granting the drinker access to the entire contents. Whether sipped slowly or downed in one gulp, the cup's contents can be consumed somewhat normally in space, just as on Earth."

NASA further elaborated, "We designed the Space Cup with the primary goal of passively delivering the liquid to the lip of the cup. To achieve this, we leverage surface tension, wetting conditions, and the unique geometry of the cup itself. We are still learning about human-cup interaction in microgravity. The cup's design positions the drinker's nose directly above the fluid contents."

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