While most of us will never be able to travel in space, it would certainly be an incredible experience to see the universe. But what about coffee? You certainly have to make sure you’ve got plenty for the trip, because the nearest Starbucks is way back on Earth.
And as you can guess, a regular coffee cup doesn’t work up in space because the hot liquid just won’t stay in there. This is why a group of researchers at Portland State University are working on a coffee cup you can use in space, so you don’t have to suck it out of a tin packet.
This cup went into development when Italy decided to send an espresso machine up to the International Space Station, and as Wired reports, it has a pointed corner in the center. “This strange bit of design is what makes it possible to drink liquids in low gravity,” Liz Stinson writes. “The corner essentially acts like a wick, using surface tension to guide liquid towards your mouth.”
When this cup is ready, you’ll be able to 3D print it, and the International Space Station has a printer up there already, but considering it would cost $500 to print, it certainly won’t be cheap. Then again, when you’re viewing the earth from outer space, which very few people will ever be able to do, wouldn’t a nice cup of espresso make the experience even more perfect?
