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In zero gravity, astronauts crave earthly comforts.
That’s why they strap their heads to foam “pillows” at night. Alas,
liquids pool or slosh and must be ingested from a pouch via straw.
“You feel like an insect sucking juices out of another insect,” says
astronaut Don Pettit. So, on a mission last November, he made a cup
from a plastic sheet sealed with tape.
The sharp angle draws liquids to the lip—a force called capillary action, which pulls fuel into rocket engines. In a thousand years, he says, today’s technology will be long gone, but space travelers will drink up from his cup. —Marc Silver
Photos: Donald R. Pettit (top); Mark Thiessen, NG photographer
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Comments
May 12, 2009 2PM #
Space travelers will drink up from his cup... that's if they can't figure out the anti-gravs by then!
May 12, 2009 2PM #
Rather cool. Its a wonder no one till now elicited a wish to drink from 'cups' in zero gravity yet.
A video illustrating the final action would have been awesome.
May 12, 2009 2PM #
Yes, there is a video! Here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pk7LcugO3zg
May 12, 2009 2PM #
I drink his milkshake. I drink it up out of his cup!
May 12, 2009 2PM #
Thanks Marc
May 12, 2009 2PM #
Shouldnt there be a cover at the top? I can imagine bringing the cup to your lips too fast and inertia carrying the liquid out of the cup into your face.
May 12, 2009 2PM #
personally, I like drinking from a straw. makes me feel like a kid again
May 12, 2009 2PM #
I see how the cup allows for drinking liquids in a zero g environment (which is quite fantastic to figure this out), but how does the liquid first enter the cup? In other words, I can drink from this coffee cup, but how do I pour the coffee into the cup from the coffee pot?
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