ISSpresso facts for kids
ISSpresso is the first espresso coffee machine made for use in space! It was created for the International Space Station by two Italian companies, Argotec and Lavazza. They worked together with the Italian Space Agency (ASI) to make it happen.
The very first espresso coffee in space was enjoyed by astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti on May 3, 2015. ISSpresso was one of nine special projects chosen by the Italian Space Agency for a mission called Futura.
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How ISSpresso Began
In 2014, Argotec and Lavazza started working together to see if making a space coffee machine was even possible. Argotec then asked the Italian Space Agency (ASI) for help, and ASI agreed to support the ISSpresso project for the International Space Station. Even NASA gave its approval!
During that same year, they studied the idea and built some parts to test their technology. On April 14, 2015, the ISSpresso machine was sent to the International Space Station aboard a SpaceX CRS-6 rocket.
Then, on May 3, 2015, Samantha Cristoforetti made history by drinking the first espresso in space, where there's almost no gravity. Later, on September 30, 2017, astronaut Paolo Nespoli used the machine to celebrate International Coffee Day in space.
The "Coffee in Space" mission for ISSpresso officially ended on December 14, 2017.
What ISSpresso Can Do
ISSpresso was designed to make real espresso. Before this machine, astronauts could only have instant coffee in space. With ISSpresso, astronauts can choose from different drinks:
- A short espresso (30 milliliters)
- A long espresso (60 milliliters)
- A hot drink like tea or broth (120 milliliters)
It also has a cleaning cycle (60 milliliters) to wash its inside parts after use. Being able to make broth is helpful because it can rehydrate (add water back to) space food.
ISSpresso also helps scientists study how liquids behave in microgravity (very low gravity). They look at how liquids mix and move under high pressure and temperature. One interesting thing they studied was how foam forms on coffee in space compared to on Earth. They even designed the machine to try and make foam in microgravity.
Making and drinking espresso on Earth depends a lot on gravity. So, a big challenge was figuring out how to make this drink where gravity is almost zero.
How It's Different from Earth Coffee Makers
The first thing you'd notice about ISSpresso is its size and weight. It's about 43 × 42 × 36 cm (17 × 16.5 × 14 in) and weighs almost 20 kg (44 lb). ISSpresso is much heavier and more complicated than a normal coffee machine. This is because it uses very strong materials and has extra safety features. These features are needed to keep astronauts safe during all parts of the mission.
For example, the water pipes inside are made of steel, not plastic. This lets them handle very high pressure, up to 400 bars (5,800 psi). The part that brews the coffee is designed to leave very little water behind. It also has tiny switches that stop hot, high-pressure water from leaking if the brewer isn't closed properly.
In space, there's no gravity to pull used coffee capsules down. So, ISSpresso uses an aluminum piston. An astronaut pushes this piston to move the used capsule into a special disposal bag. This bag is right next to the brewer.
Almost all the water from the container is used to make the drink. The finished drink goes into a special drink pouch. Unlike coffee machines on Earth, ISSpresso doesn't need a tray to catch waste water because there's very little leftover.
How Astronauts Use It
Using ISSpresso is similar to using a coffee machine on Earth. This makes it easy for astronauts to use without needing special training.
First, the astronaut checks that the water container is correctly installed. Then, they put a coffee capsule into an opening on top of the machine. They close a small door and choose the size of their drink. After that, they attach their drink pouch to a special adapter and start the coffee-making process.
The water container and drink pouch connect in the same way as the water dispenser already on the space station. This helps astronauts use the system easily.
Making It Safe for Space
NASA checked the ISSpresso machine very carefully to make sure it met all the safety rules. They officially approved the system for flight on the International Space Station. The machine's outside and inside parts were designed and tested to handle the strong forces from the SpaceX CRS-6 rocket launch.
Different Models of ISSpresso
Argotec designed, built, and tested ISSpresso using four main models over 18 months.
- The first model, called 2-D, was a basic test of the water and air systems. It used a simple pump and a regular coffee brewer.
- The second model, known as the Elegance Model, was made to test how the machine's moving parts worked. Many of its parts are the same as those used in the final space version.
- The third model, called the Ground Model, is like the "Earth version" of the machine. It works almost exactly like the one sent to space. This model went through many tests to make sure it was safe for launch.
- The Protoflight model, which is the flight model, is the final version. It includes all the best ideas from the earlier models. This flight model was tested and approved by NASA for use on the International Space Station.
