Drinking in space isn’t easy because liquid doesn’t behave like it does on Earth. For that reason, NASA scientists are currently performing a Capillary Flow Experiment aboard the International Space Station.
Scientists have discovered that, when two solid surfaces meet at a narrow-enough angle, fluids in microgravity naturally flow along the joint with no pumping required.
The discovery, which was made by Professor of Physics Mark Weislogel of Portland State University and his colleagues, has led to a patent for the Zero Gravity Coffee Cup.
Working with the Capillary Flow Experiment aboard the International Space Station is Astronaut Don Pettit. The cup features a sharp interior corner and capillary forces that send the fluid along the channel and into Pettit’s mouth. The Astronaut says of the patented space aged coffee cup:
As you sip, more fluid keeps coming, and you can enjoy your coffee in a weightless environment — clear down to the last drop. This may well be what future space colonists use when they want to have a celebration.
The Zero Gravity Cup not only works; it’s the coolest coffee mug of all time! The best part? The group created the cup not by using new space aged materials but rather through some inventing engineering.
Check out the video posted above and let us know what you think.
