JAKARTA - Over the years, NASA has developed a cup that can be used in space, to store the liquid in its place even when it's not closed. And now, they have managed to achieve it.
Dubbed the Space Cup, in the form of a cup specifically designed using the concept of fluid dynamics to mimic the effects of gravity in space.
The goal is that the cup is designed to drink liquid in space in a similar way to that on Earth. This glass can be used for simple fluids such as water and juice to more complex fluids such as cocoa, coffee, Ornamentals, and fruit smoothies.
Classic cappuccino, meet the space cup. ☕🤝This demo shows the Capillary Beverage investigation which studies the process of drinking from specially designed Space Cups that use fluid dynamics to mimic the effect of gravity. https://t.co/xFGFTva2Bw pic.twitter.com/M7TQmIwlrC
— ISS Research (@ISS_Research) March 2, 2023
In a video uploaded via Twitter @ISS_Research, the demonstration shows NASA astronaut Nicole Mann pouring coffee from a bag into the Space Cup while on the International Space Station (ISS).
This demo is part of NASA's Capillary Flow Experiment. Amazingly, the coffee didn't spill from the cup even when it overturned its cup.
The magic, according to NASA, is specifically designed to use a combined effect of surface stress, wetting, and cup geometry instead of relying on gravity, and astronauts can drink liquid easily.
For that, all astronauts need to do is put their mouths at the top of the Space Cup and coffee will automatically be pulled into their mouths due to capillary action.
Some general examples of anti-gravitational capillaries are how water moves upwards through tissue paper when placed on the surface of the water, or how water moves upwards through plants from the roots.
NASA expects the study of Capillary Drinks to make drinking easier in microgravity and also reduce the weight and size of fluid bags sent into space.
The experiment, NASA said, has a significant potential for return to education and public affordability as well as applied science data.
Patent Space Cup was awarded in 2011 by astronauts Don Pettit with mathematicians Paul Concus and Robert Finns.
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