To say they're excited is an understatement! Astronauts on board the International Space Station will soon be getting an espresso machine.
It's not as simple as shipping a regular earth machine skywards - and we know even that's not simple. The device has to take into account the gravity, or lack of it, how it is served, and more.
So step forward Italian coffee brand Lavazza and specialist aerospace engineering company Argotec with the first capsule-based espresso system to be used in space. Bravo!
It will "work in the extremes of space" to deliver authentic Italian espresso to those on the ISS.
The plastic tube which would carry the water inside a normal Earth-sufficient espresso machine has been replaced with a special steel tube designed to withstand pressure of more than 400 bar.
And the machine is so complex it weighs about 20kg since there are back-ups of all the critical components.
David Avino, managing director of Argotec, said: "Our aerospace engineers have designed a new-concept coffeemaker, which is safe for the astronauts and able to function in microgravity conditions, also thanks to Lavazza's experience as a leader in capsule extraction systems."
The ISSpresso will create a corner cafe onboard the ISS, a venue for getting together, chatting and relaxing: an aspect that "should not be ignored in missions that keep the astronauts away from home for many months in a very challenging environment".
It can also make a caffe lungo and hot beverages, such as tea, infusions and broth, so that food can be rehydrated.
Air Force Captain Samantha Cristoforetti, who will become the first Italian woman to go into space when she blasts into orbit later this year, will also become the first astronaut in history to drink an authentic Italian espresso in space.
And you wondered how much Italians liked coffee.
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/space-station-gets-espresso-machine-140159775.html
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