Hey there, curious minds! Let’s dive into the fascinating world of space and coffee. Did you know that NASA, the organization that sends robots across the solar system and people to the moon, also has astronauts living in space right now? It’s all thanks to a mix of inspiration, hard work, and, believe it or not, coffee!
Coffee is a big deal for astronauts. But have you ever wondered how they drink it in space? Don, an astronaut who has spent over a year in space, shared that while he misses family and friends, he doesn’t miss much else from Earth. Space offers unique experiences that make up for it.
Drinking coffee in space isn’t as simple as it is on Earth. In a weightless environment, a regular cup won’t work because gravity isn’t there to keep the liquid at the bottom. If you try to pour coffee into a cup, it just sticks to the sides. NASA came up with a solution called the drink bag, similar to a juice box. But drinking coffee from a bag isn’t the same because you miss out on the wonderful smell that makes coffee so enjoyable.
Don wanted to enjoy his coffee in space, so he invented a special zero-gravity cup. He used a material called overhead transparency film to create a cup with a unique shape. This design allows the coffee to move up the edge of the cup, making it easier to drink in space.
Water is a special molecule that sticks to itself and to surfaces. That’s why liquids form round shapes in space. Don’s cup design lets astronauts enjoy the aroma of coffee, which is a big part of the experience. Drinking from a cup is something we often take for granted until we can’t do it anymore.
Don’s invention is the first patent made in space! He has continued to study how liquids behave in zero gravity and has improved the cup’s design over time. The latest version is based on fluid physics principles, making it even better for drinking. One of these cups is now in the Museum of Modern Art!
This journey from curiosity to science and art is amazing. Understanding how liquids behave in zero gravity is important for safety and helps create better technology for things like cooling systems and space toilets.
Stay curious and keep exploring! By the way, did you know that on the space station, they say “yesterday’s coffee is tomorrow’s coffee” because they recycle their water? So, enjoy your coffee, wherever you are!
Thanks to CuriosityStream for supporting PBS Digital Studios. CuriosityStream is a streaming service with lots of documentaries and non-fiction shows. You can learn more at curiositystream.com/smart. Cheers!
Imagine you’re an astronaut! Design and build your own version of a zero-gravity cup using materials like plastic sheets, tape, and scissors. Test it by trying to drink water from it while lying on your back. Discuss with your classmates how your design mimics or differs from Don’s invention.
Conduct an experiment to observe how liquids behave in different environments. Use a small container of water and a straw to simulate zero-gravity conditions by gently blowing bubbles and observing how the water reacts. Record your observations and compare them with how liquids behave on Earth.
Research how astronauts prepare and consume coffee in space. Create a short presentation or poster to share your findings with the class. Include interesting facts about the challenges and solutions related to drinking coffee in space.
Using your knowledge of fluid dynamics and zero-gravity challenges, design a new type of beverage container for astronauts. Sketch your design and explain how it addresses the issues faced in space. Present your design to the class and discuss its potential benefits.
Investigate why aroma is an important part of the coffee-drinking experience. Conduct a smell test with different aromatic substances (like coffee, vanilla, and citrus) and discuss how aroma affects taste. Relate your findings to the challenges astronauts face when drinking coffee in space.
Thank you to CuriosityStream for supporting PBS Digital Studios. Hey smart people, Joe here! NASA is awesome. They’ve sent robots across our solar system, sent people to the moon, and humans are living in orbit right now. In my opinion, there are three things that made all this possible: inspiration, perspiration, and coffee.
I mean, coffee is incredibly important to NASA. But if coffee is so vital to our space program, how do astronauts drink it in space? Don, an astronaut who has spent more than a year in space, really wants to go back. I asked him what he would miss the most, and he said family and friends. Outside of that, he doesn’t miss anything from Earth. In space, there are unique experiences that fill the void of not being on our planet.
However, I don’t believe that you can get a great cup of coffee inside the International Space Station. Most of the time, a standard cup won’t work in a weightless environment. It requires gravity to hold the liquid in the bottom and to allow it to flow out when you want to take a sip. Until I talked to Don, I hadn’t thought about how we drink. In a weightless environment, if you squirt liquid into a normal cup, it would just stick to the edges.
NASA engineers have come up with a solution called the drink bag, which is essentially like a juice box in space. However, drinking coffee from a bag is not ideal. About 70% of the experience of drinking coffee comes from the smell, and when you drink it through a straw from a bag, you miss out on that aroma.
Don wanted to enjoy a cup of coffee in space, so he invented a solution: a zero-gravity cup. He created this cup using an overhead transparency film. The special shape of the cup allows the coffee to be drawn up along the edge, making it easier to drink without the usual challenges of weightlessness.
Water is a unique molecule that sticks to itself and to the container it’s in. This is why liquid forms spherical shapes in space. The cup Don designed allows astronauts to enjoy the aroma of coffee, which is a significant part of the experience.
Drinking from a cup is a ritual that we often take for granted until we can no longer do it. Don has a patent on this cup, which is officially the first invention made in space. He has continued to study how liquids flow in zero gravity and has improved the design over time.
The latest generation of the cup has been refined based on fluid physics principles, allowing for a better drinking experience. Don has even continued to evolve the design on Earth, and one of his cups is now part of the Museum of Modern Art collection.
This journey from a simple curiosity to real science and art is remarkable. Understanding how liquids behave in zero gravity is crucial for safety and will help design better technology for various applications, from cooling systems to space toilets.
Stay curious!
By the way, I’m currently in a hotel room enjoying a cup of coffee. A big thank you to CuriosityStream for supporting PBS Digital Studios. If you don’t know, CuriosityStream is a subscription streaming service offering a variety of documentaries and non-fiction titles. You can learn more at curiositystream.com/smart or check the link in the description.
And remember, on the space station, they say that yesterday’s coffee is tomorrow’s coffee because they recycle their water. So, bottoms up!
Coffee – A drink made from roasted coffee beans, often used to help people stay awake and alert. – Example sentence: Scientists are studying how coffee behaves in space to understand how liquids move in microgravity conditions.
Space – The vast, seemingly infinite area that exists beyond Earth’s atmosphere where stars, planets, and other celestial bodies are found. – Example sentence: Engineers design spacecraft to travel safely through space and explore distant planets.
Astronauts – People who are trained to travel and work in space. – Example sentence: Astronauts conduct experiments on the International Space Station to learn more about how gravity affects different materials.
Gravity – The force that attracts objects toward each other, especially the pull of the Earth that gives weight to objects. – Example sentence: Gravity is weaker on the Moon, which is why astronauts can jump higher there than on Earth.
Design – The process of creating plans and drawings to show how something will be made or how it will work. – Example sentence: Engineers must carefully design rockets to ensure they can withstand the forces of launch and re-entry.
Liquid – A state of matter that has a definite volume but no fixed shape, allowing it to flow freely. – Example sentence: In space, liquids form spheres because there is no gravity to pull them into a flat shape.
Physics – The branch of science that deals with the properties and interactions of matter and energy. – Example sentence: Physics helps us understand how forces like gravity and friction affect the motion of objects.
Technology – The application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes, especially in industry and engineering. – Example sentence: Advances in technology have made it possible to send robotic probes to explore distant planets.
Invention – A new device, method, or process developed from study and experimentation. – Example sentence: The invention of the telescope allowed scientists to study the stars and planets in greater detail.
Safety – The condition of being protected from danger, risk, or injury. – Example sentence: Safety is a top priority when designing equipment for astronauts to use in space missions.
