Drinking In Zero Gravity

  • Released Thursday, December 5, 2013
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The conventional way of ingesting liquids while living aboard the International Space Station requires sucking on a tube or nozzle that’s attached to a fluid-filled pouch. Now, thanks to some American ingenuity, crew members are able to drink beverages from a cup. An invention, dubbed the zero-g cup, takes into account how liquids behave in a weightless environment and uses the laws of physics to direct fluid to the cup’s rim where it can be sipped. The motion used to drink out of the cup is the same as it is on Earth. The cup also has an added benefit: it’s spill-free. Watch the video to learn more.

NASA invents a new way for consuming beverages in space.

NASA invents a new way for consuming beverages in space.

Is this how future astronauts will drink in space? Watch the video to find out.

The zero-g cup (above) is made out of plastic and is slightly larger than a trading card.

The zero-g cup (above) is made out of plastic and is slightly larger than a trading card.

Once liquid is dispensed into the cup, it clings to the bottom and flows up the narrow wall of the container.

Once liquid is dispensed into the cup, it clings to the bottom and flows up the narrow wall of the container.

To drink from the cup, the container is raised to the lips and liquid is sipped from the rim.

To drink from the cup, the container is raised to the lips and liquid is sipped from the rim.

For More Information

See Science@NASA

Credits

Please give credit for this item to:
Science@NASA and NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
Images courtesy of NASA

This page was originally published on Thursday, December 5, 2013.
This page was last updated on Wednesday, May 3, 2023 at 1:51 PM EDT.