Coffee in Space: How Astronauts Drink Coffee

Coffee in space is usually instant coffee in a sealed pouch: astronauts on the International Space Station add hot water from the station’s water dispenser and sip through a straw with a clamp so nothing floats away. In 2015 the station also received ISSpresso, a real espresso machine, and a set of specially shaped “space cups” that let astronauts drink from an open cup in microgravity. Here is how it all works, and why making a simple cup of coffee off the planet turned out to be a serious engineering problem.

Why Coffee in Space Is Hard

On Earth, gravity does a lot of quiet work in your kitchen. It pulls water down through the grounds in a drip machine, keeps coffee at the bottom of your mug and lets steam and aroma rise toward your nose. In orbit, none of that happens the same way.

• Liquids do not pour. Without gravity, coffee clings to surfaces and drifts as wobbling blobs. An open mug would empty itself across the cabin.
• Floating droplets are a hazard. Stray liquid can drift into equipment, so every drink needs to stay contained.
• Bubbles do not rise. Air and liquid do not separate neatly, which complicates any brewing method that relies on gravity.
• Aroma behaves differently. Sipping from a closed pouch means you miss much of the smell, which is a big part of how we taste coffee. Our article on why coffee smells so good explains just how much aroma matters.

How Astronauts Usually Drink Coffee: Pouches and Straws

For most of the history of human spaceflight, astronauts have drunk from plastic containers or foil pouches with straws. Coffee followed the same logic. On the ISS today, the everyday routine is simple:

1. Take a pouch that already contains dry coffee powder, often with creamer or sugar if that is the astronaut’s preference.
2. Connect it to the station’s potable water dispenser and inject hot water.
3. Knead the pouch to dissolve the powder.
4. Attach a straw with a clamp or valve, and sip.

Instant coffee is a natural fit for this system: it is light, shelf-stable and dissolves in water without any brewing. If you are curious how instant coffee became such a practical product, read our history of instant coffee.

ISSpresso: The First Espresso Machine in Space

The biggest upgrade to coffee in space came from Italy. ISSpresso was designed, built and tested by the Italian aerospace company Argotec in partnership with Lavazza, as part of a public-private project with the Italian Space Agency (ASI). It was one of the experiments selected for ASI’s Futura mission.

The flight model launched to the ISS on SpaceX’s CRS-6 cargo mission on April 14, 2015. On May 3, 2015, Italian astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti drank the first espresso brewed in microgravity. You can read the full technical background on the ISSpresso encyclopedia entry.

How ISSpresso worked

The machine used coffee capsules and delivered the drink into a sealed pouch rather than a cup. The astronaut inserted a capsule, attached a drink pouch and chose a size. Afterward, the spent capsule was pushed into a disposal pouch. Because the hydraulic system had to be extremely robust and safe, the machine weighed about 20 kg (44 lb), far heavier than a kitchen espresso maker.

The hot water function could also rehydrate food, which made the machine more useful than a single-purpose gadget. Italian astronaut Paolo Nespoli used it on September 30, 2017 to mark International Coffee Day, and the experiment ended in December 2017, when the machine was returned to Earth on SpaceX’s CRS-13 mission.

Want a closer look at what makes a shot of espresso special on the ground? See our guide on how to make espresso at home.

The Space Cup: Drinking Coffee in Space From an Open Cup

Pouches work, but they are not much fun. NASA astronaut Don Pettit wanted the experience of sipping from a cup. In 2008, he worked with Mark Weislogel, a scientist who studies capillary flow, to demonstrate a makeshift zero-g cup.

The trick is a sharp interior corner running up one side of the cup. In microgravity, capillary forces pull liquid along that narrow corner, so coffee wicks up the wall toward your lips as you drink. No pump, no straw. The same physics helps paper towels soak up spills and helps engineers manage fuel in spacecraft tanks.

In 2015, a set of 3D-printed cups developed by Weislogel’s team at IRPI flew to the station as part of the Capillary Beverage experiment. They arrived in the same era as ISSpresso, so astronauts could finally pair an espresso with an open cup and catch more of the aroma.

A Short Timeline of Coffee in Space

• Early spaceflight: Drinks come in plastic containers or foil pouches with straws.
• ISS era: Instant coffee pouches rehydrated at the potable water dispenser become routine.
• 2008: Don Pettit and Mark Weislogel demonstrate a capillary-flow cup.
• April 14, 2015: ISSpresso launches on SpaceX CRS-6.
• May 3, 2015: Samantha Cristoforetti drinks the first espresso brewed in orbit.
• 2015: 3D-printed space cups fly for the Capillary Beverage experiment.
• December 2017: ISSpresso’s mission ends and the machine returns on CRS-13.

Bring a Little Space Coffee Home

You do not need a capsule machine certified for orbit to enjoy the ideas behind it. A few takeaways for your own kitchen:

• Instant can be good. Choose a quality instant and dissolve it in water just off the boil for camping, travel or desk days.
• Smell your coffee. Drinking from an open cup, not a lidded travel mug, lets you enjoy the full aroma.
• Watch your caffeine. Astronauts follow strict schedules, and so should you on busy days. The FDA cites up to 400 mg of caffeine a day as an amount not generally associated with negative effects for most healthy adults; if you are pregnant, have a medical condition or take medication, ask your doctor. Our guide to caffeine in a cup of coffee breaks down typical amounts.

Coffee in Space FAQ

Do astronauts drink coffee in space?

Yes. Coffee is a regular part of life on the ISS, usually as instant coffee in a pouch rehydrated with hot water. Astronauts drink it through a straw with a clamp so no droplets escape.

Who drank the first espresso in space?

Italian astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti drank the first espresso brewed in microgravity on May 3, 2015. It was made with ISSpresso, a machine built by Argotec with Lavazza.

How does the zero gravity coffee cup work?

The cup has a sharp interior corner along one side. Capillary forces pull the liquid along that corner toward the rim, so astronauts can sip without a straw.

Why can’t you drink from a normal mug in space?

Without gravity, liquid does not stay at the bottom of a mug. It creeps up the walls and floats away as droplets that could damage equipment, so drinks stay sealed or use specially shaped cups.

Conclusion

Coffee in space went from simple pouches to a 20 kg espresso machine and cleverly shaped cups, all to give astronauts a familiar ritual far from home. Back on Earth, Feel Espresso roasts every coffee order 1–5 days before delivery. Keep a jar of Premium Instant Coffee for travel days, and brew something bolder at home with our 6 Bean Blend, a dark roast espresso blend worthy of a mission briefing.