Astronaut Don Pettit designed and fabricated this coffee cup from a piece of thin film and kapton tape while the STS-126 mission was docked with the International Space Station in November 2008. Pettit used his understanding of surface tension and capillary flow in space to force liquid to flow down the narrow channel on one side towards the opening of the "cup." Along with engineers on Earth, it was redesigned into a 3D printed version that flew to space on a later mission in 2012. Versions of those cups have been used in space since that time.
Dr. Don Pettit donated his original cup to the Museum in 2023.
Display Status
This object is not on display at the National Air and Space Museum. It is either on loan or in storage.
Object Details
Country of Origin
United States of America
Type
PERSONAL EQUIPMENT-Food & Food Accessories
Manufacturer
Dr. Donald Pettit
Dimensions
3-D: 9.5 × 4.4 × 13.7cm (3 3/4 × 1 3/4 × 5 3/8 in.)
Materials
plastic, adhesive, Kapton tape, Velcro, ink
Inventory Number
A20231127000
Credit Line
Gift of Don Pettit
Data Source
National Air and Space Museum
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
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