At the same time, we are also proud to contribute to the promotion of the image and spreading of the Made-in-Italy brand at international or better “space”, level.”
A coffee break in space
A prototype of the space coffee machine is currently being tested at Argotec’s laboratories and all the necessary functional and safety checks.
In a subsequent phase, Finmeccanica – Selex ES will participate in the assessment activities aimed at launching ISSpresso into orbit with the Futura Mission crew, one of whom is the Italian astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti.
The ‘corner café’ on the ISS will be the hub for socialising on board the Station, a sort of social network in space, a venue for getting together, chatting and relaxing: an aspect that should not be ignored in missions that keep the astronauts away from home for many months in a very challenging environment.
The innovative capsule system will also be able to prepare not only a regular espresso, but also a caffè lungo or hot beverages, such as tea, infusions and broth, so that food can also be rehydrated.
Extra-terrestrial technology
Every tiniest detail of ISSpresso is designed to respond to a scientific and engineering challenge: in fact, the machine studies have enabled principles of physics and fluid dynamics to be tackled, such as the difficulty of handling liquids at high pressure and high temperature in a space environment.
Just think that the plastic tube carrying the water inside a normal espresso machine has been replaced with a special steel tube designed to withstand pressure of more than 400 bar.
The machine is so complex that it weighs about 20 kilograms since there are back-ups of all the critical components for safety reasons in accordance with the specifications agreed upon with the Italian Space Agency.
ISSpresso represents a technologically high-value project which, besides increasing the variety of flavour in the astronauts’ menu, will help improve our understanding of the principles of fluid dynamics and conditions in microgravity.
Some of the solutions adopted have led to international patents, which will be useful both for future space missions and immediate terrestrial use.
Argotec is an Italian aerospace company, with headquarters in Turin, that focuses on research, innovation, and development in many sectors: engineering, information technology, systems integration and “human space flights and operations”.
Argotec trains European ground controllers as well as astronauts at the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne and it is the unique responsible in Europe for their bonus food.
