'Space Coffee Cup' From ISS Now Available To Buy

A specially built espresso machine was recently delivered to the International Space Station, along with 3D-printed cups and now Earth-bound humans can buy their very own 'Space Coffee Cup', thanks to crowdfunding site Kickstarter.

The Space Coffee Cup was developed by research and design firm IRPI as a means for astronauts to drink their beverages from a cup, rather than a bag, for a more home-like experience while floating in zero gravity.

According to the makers, the design is an evolution of an earlier 2008 'space cup' from Dr Mark Weislogel and astronaut Don Pettit.

As well as offering homesick astronauts a more Earth-like drinking experience, the cup is designed to be as small and light as possible so that it makes up only a minimal amount of the cargo on any long-haul space missions.

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The clever cup uses principles of capilliary flow in order to contain beverages enough that they can be drunk from the cup, rather than simply floating off as bubbles of liquid.

The cup is a space experiment in itself, enabling experts to study how liquids behave in space. What's more, it's reusable unlike the drink bags that astronuats use in space.

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While the version used in space is 3D-printed from plastic, the maker intends to offer a glass version for Earth dwellers.

Pledges start at $5 which will get buyers a flight badge sticker, while the $35 option will get pledgers the glass itself (plus a badge). The Kickstarter campaign runs until 14 June 2015.