Watch: ESA Astronaut Shows What Drinking Coffee In Space Looks Like

European Space Agency astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti has shared on Twitter a video showing what drinking coffee looks like in space. Even day-to-day activities are quite challenging in microgravity.

In the video shared by Cristoforetti, the ESA astronaut can be seen squeezing black Kona coffee out of a retort pouch into two different vessels, one by one. First, she uses a cylindrical container. Then, she drinks coffee from a space cup ( Image Source :Screengrab: Twitter/@AstroSamantha )

European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti, who is set to return to Earth on Thursday after spending six months in space, has frequently shared with the world the activities she performed on the International Space Station as part of the NASA SpaceX Crew-4 mission. Recently, Cristoforetti created a TikTok video showing what drinking coffee looks like in space, and uploaded the same on Twitter.

Even day-to-day activities such as eating, drinking, working out, sleeping, brushing teeth and washing hair become quite challenging in microgravity. 

In the video shared by Cristoforetti, the ESA astronaut can be seen squeezing black Kona coffee out of a retort pouch into two different vessels, one by one. First, she pours the coffee into a cylindrical container. However, when she tries to drink the coffee, the liquid does not come out. 

Having a nice cup of coffee looks slightly different in space… 😉 Check it out! #MissionMinerva #CoffeeBreak #SpaceTok @esa @esaspaceflight @Space_Station pic.twitter.com/Z68rXcPZgx

— Samantha Cristoforetti (@AstroSamantha) October 12, 2022

Next, she uses a special vessel called the 'space cup' to drink coffee. The space cup has a special shape. 

The top portion of the space cup is shaped like a water droplet. The angle makes the coffee flow to the edge as a result of capillary action. This is the process of a liquid flowing in a narrow space without the assistance of, or in opposition to external forces like gravity. 

Cristoforetti squeezes out the Kona coffee from the retort pouch into the space cup, and drinks her brew from the edge of the vessel. 

On September 28, Cristoforetti became the first female European Commander of the ISS. She handed over the command of the space station to Russian cosmonaut Sergey Prokopyev on Wednesday, October 12, ahead of her return to Earth.

Cristoforetti recently practised yoga on the space station. She wrote on Twitter that 'Yoga in weightlessness' is a 'bit tricky', but with the right poses and some creative freedom, one can do it.

Yoga in weightlessness? Done!
It’s a bit tricky, but with the right poses (thanks @CosmicKidsYoga!) and some creative freedom you can do it. Take a look! https://t.co/XXEOcFzg4L#MissionMinerva #CosmicKids https://t.co/H2hGPSAWmD

— Samantha Cristoforetti (@AstroSamantha) September 27, 2022

Chris Hadfield's peanut butter sandwich in space

Space foods earlier used to be squeezed out of tubes and brought up in dehydrated packets. But now, normal foods on Earth need minor adaptations to be used as space food. Quoting astronaut Chris Hadfield, the NASA website says they replace the bread in sandwiches with tortillas, to avoid bread crumbs flying everywhere.

In a Canadian Space Agency video, Hadfield can be seen using space scissors to cut the food pouches and adding honey and peanut butter to the tortilla. Hadfield explains that the bubbles in the honey flow in the middle instead of the top because of no gravity. Since they do not have running water in space, they use disinfectant wipes to clean their hands after eating.