Italy's first female astronaut will be the first person to drink "Italian espresso in space." The famous Italian brand Lavazza has developed a coffee machine specifically for the International Space Station.
Italy made a special contribution to the study of space at the international level, creating coffee that astronauts could enjoy outside the Earth. Italians invented a coffee machine that can function in space, becoming a source of caffeine vital for astronauts. The new instrument has been installed at the International Space Station since 2014.
According to a representative of Lavazza, after a long and busy day, astronauts will be able to enjoy perfectly brewed longo or espresso coffee.
The machine, called ISSpresso (a mix of the abbreviation ISS and expresso), is the result of a collaboration between one of the most famous Italian brands Lavazza and the coffee company Argoteс, which previously worked with the Italian space agency. The device weighing 20 kilograms can work with zero attraction. It is made of metal parts that can withstand high pressure. A small cup comes with ISSpresso.
“Italian coffee is an amazing drink that has no boundaries. And we had to think about the possibility of taking espresso into space, ”explained Giuseppe Lavazza, vice president of the same company. “In fact, today we are in a situation where it is necessary to overcome the borders of zero gravity and enjoy the excellent expresso - the indisputable symbol of the brand“ Made in Italy "- on board the International Space Station.
David Arno, Executive Director of Argotec, confirms that a machine that runs on coffee capsules can function under “minimal gravity” conditions. Arno also said that the device will be delivered to the space station in November by Italy’s first female cosmonaut, Samantha Cristoforetti, the head of the Italian Air Force.
She will become “not only the first female astronaut from Italy to go into space, but also the first ever astronaut to drink Italian espresso in orbit,” the company said. The idea that the coffee machine should function in space ”is an aspect that cannot be ignored when performing long-term missions.
Meanwhile, Samantha is preparing to travel to the Baikonur Cosmodrome, from where she will go to the Russian Soyuz in space in November.
It is worth noting that in addition to the fact that Cristoforetti will be the first Italian to fly into space, she will also become the first European female astronaut to visit the ISS. Samantha’s mission at the International Space Station will last about six months. Thomas Reiter, Human Spaceflight and Operations Program Manager, says: “We are very pleased to note that the third astronaut from the 2009 set is scheduled to fly into space.”
