Astronauts at the International Space Station will soon have access to the first-ever space espresso coffee machine. This one uses recycled urine which the space crew have dubbed “yesterday’s coffee”.
According to NASA, the 6th SpaceX cargo mission to the International Space Station (ISS) is scheduled to launch on Monday from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
The Falcon 9 rocket will be carrying its Dragon cargo spacecraft to ISS filled with over 4,300 pounds of supplies and payloads, including the much-awaited espresso coffee machine designed for use in orbit.
Astronauts will be able to enjoy some decent coffee, with the arrival of the Isspresso machine. (Image: Argotec)
The idea of a coffee maker in space came from Italian astronauts Luca Parmitano and Paolo Nespoli, who quickly noticed there was no espresso during their visit to ISS.
The device, called the ISSpresso, was designed and developed by manufacturers Argotec and Lavazza.
According to Argotec, it is the first capsule-based espresso system able to work in the extreme conditions of space.
The rocket is also taking critical materials to directly support approximately 40 of the more than 250 science and research projects that will take place during the space station’s Expeditions 43 and 44.
Scientific projects
Science research equipment launched on Dragon include academic and commercial payloads in a wide range of disciplines:
– exploring new ways to possibly reduce microactivity-induced cell damage seen during space missions,
– studying microgravity’s effects on the most common cells in bones,
– gathering new insight that could pave the way for novel treatments for osteoporosis and muscle-wasting conditions,
– carrying on studying astronaut vision changes, and
– testing new material that could eventually be used as a synthetic muscle for robotic explorers of the future.
Monday’s launch will have the Dragon spacecraft arriving at the ISS on Wednesday, April 15th. After about five weeks at ISS, Dragon will return to Earth, and then be filled with over 3,000 pounds of cargo.
