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How To Make Espresso In Space

In a story that's sure to bring to the surface the long-debunked myth of an over-elaborate NASA quest to create a pen to operate in space, Wired reports that the coffee situation aboard the International Space Station is about to improve: the station will be getting a 20kg, custom designed Lavazza espresso machine, to be delivered along with Italian astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti. Among other differences from terrestrial espresso machines: the resulting beverage must be pumped into a straw-friendly bag rather than a demitasse. I wonder if there could be some way to adapt a (much lighter) Aeropress for space purposes, as a backup.

5 of 192 comments (clear)

  1. Re:yuck epresso by Opportunist · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I never got the whole syrup thing. Coffee needs no flavoring. It has a flavor already. Its flavor is called COFFEE.

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  2. You're right by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    The feds should have spent that blowing up more civilians and occupying places that don't want us there. Over $5 trillion wasted, and Iraq is about to fall again. Fuck, I'll take coffee in space any day of the week over what that stuff is usually spent on.

  3. Air pressure by rossdee · · Score: 1, Insightful

    They would have to boil the water in a pressurized container

    You can't even get a good cup of tea or coffee on Mt Everest, let alone in space.

  4. Re:Short black with one by jatoo · · Score: 3, Insightful

    If you like yours "black and bitter," have at it, but don't expect me to join you.

    The idea is that good coffee isn't bitter.

  5. Re:Short black with one by Ihlosi · · Score: 3, Insightful
    Look, I love coffee as much as the next guy but when they are replacing 20kg of scientific payload

    Coffee is scientific payload. You don't want your experiments to fail because the involved researchers were under-caffeinated.