Coffee: it’s a warm, comforting, embracing liquid that millions upon millions of people enjoy each morning, afternoon or evening. So imagine being an astronaut deployed to the ISS (International Space Station) for months on end without the love of your cup of java. Well Lavazza and the ISA (Italian Space Agency) are trying to change that and bring the joy of coffee into space. The quote below gives an overview of what Lavazza and ISA are working on.
Lavazza
Its name is ISSpresso. It takes its name from the International Space Station (ISS), where it is to be installed. It is the first capsule-based espresso system able to work in the extreme conditions of space, where the principles that regulate the fluid dynamics of liquids and mixtures are very different from those typical on Earth. ISSpresso is the product of a project run by Argotec, the Italian engineering company specialised in the design of aerospace systems and European leader in the preparation of healthy and nutritious foods for in-space consumption, and Lavazza, the historic Italian coffee brand.ISSpresso is a veritable technological and engineering jewel, able to deliver a perfect espresso in weightless environment. This is why it was selected by the Italian Space Agency to be used aboard the ISS, in the framework of the Request for Expression of Interest that the Agency keeps constantly open to public-private partnership projects and activities to be carried out in the ISS.
Right now astronauts drink water or powdered mixes of drinks. The Lavazza machine will give the astronauts fresh brewed espresso. That’s got to be like liquid gold to them! What do you think of the Lavazza effort to bring our space walkers a slice of home? Let us know in the comments below or on any of our social media pages, links to the left of your screen.
Last Updated on November 27, 2018.
