Lavazza Announces Plan To Send Espresso To Space

Italian astronauts have been complaining about the quality of the coffee in space, so Lavazza has stepped in to do something about it.

According to The Local, last year Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano went on a mission to the International Space Station. It was surely an exciting experience, but he did bemoan the lack of decent espresso. Sensing a new market opportunity, Italian espresso manufacturer Lavazza said it had partnered with Argotec, an Italian aerospace engineering company, to create a spaceworthy espresso machine for the International Space Station.

Called the "ISSpresso," the new machine uses a capsule system to make espresso, caffè lungo, coffee, and other hot beverages. The company says the space coffee machine weighs 44 pounds and works under extreme conditions. It even works upside-down.

Lavazza says it expects the ISSpresso to be ready to launch into orbit in November, when the Italian Space Agency sends its second long-term mission to the space station.