NEW YORK: Astronauts on the International Space Station had a real taste of home this week.Samantha Cristoforetti, who is from Italy, fired up the first espresso machine in space. On Sunday, she posted a photo of herself on Twitter, sipping from a cup designed for use in zero gravity.
“Fresh espresso in the new Zero-¬G cup! To boldly brew . . . ,” she said via Twitter, making a reference to the 1960s TV show “Star Trek.”
How did Cristoforetti like the space brew? She didn’t say on Twitter, though she was all smiles for the cameras. But it had to be better than NASA’s instant coffee, which is drunk by straw from a pouch.
The espresso also is brewed in a pouch, which is inside the coffeemaker, called the ISSpresso. That’s how Cristoforetti and NASA crewmate Scott Kelly first sampled it. Cristoforetti later switched to the zero-gravity cup, a new American-made item.
If future crew members aren’t coffee lovers, the machine might still be useful. It also makes tea and broth.
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