Instead of having to drink instant coffee from a bag using a straw, astronauts on the International Space Station were able to enjoy freshly brewed coffee out of a cup for the first time.
After ISS astronaut Kjell Lindgren discovered the Espresso Space Cup, which was voted one of the most cleverly designed objects of 2015 by Wired, he got in contact with graduate student Drew Wollman at Portland State University, designer of the espresso cup. It is specially designed for use in zero gravity to control the movement of liquid inside. Wollman and his professor, Mark Weislogel, then 3D printed a new cup that could be attached to a special unit for brewing the coffee.
Lindgren demonstrates the space coffee brewing machine and 3D printed cup in the following video made on the ISS:
Subscribe to our Newsletter
3DPResso is a weekly newsletter that links to the most exciting global stories from the 3D printing and additive manufacturing industry.
