The International Space Station (ISS) received a special delivery on Friday: the first espresso machine designed for use in space. The machine arrived aboard SpaceX's Dragon capsule, which docked with the station three days after launching from Florida.
Italian astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti, who has been on the ISS since November, welcomed the cargo. She had been limited to instant coffee and expressed excitement about the new machine. 'It's been just amazing. Lots of science and even coffee's in there, so that's pretty exciting,' she said.
The espresso machine was originally scheduled to arrive three months earlier but was delayed due to a backlog caused by a launch explosion last year that destroyed a previous supply ship. Cristoforetti, who returns to Earth next month, said she can't wait to try space espresso.
The Dragon capsule carried over 1,800 kilograms of supplies, including experiments and equipment. It will remain at the ISS until around May 21, when it will return to Earth with discarded equipment and experiments. It is the only supply ship capable of bringing items back.
Among the research items are experiments for American astronaut Scott Kelly, who is a few weeks into a one-year mission—a record for NASA. Meanwhile, SpaceX released a video showing its first-stage booster landing on an ocean platform after Tuesday's launch, though it tipped over in flames. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said the platform, named 'Just Read the Instructions,' suffered only minor damage. The next attempt is scheduled for June.
