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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: 10.8 × 3.2 × 14.9cm (4 1/4 × 1 1/4 × 5 7/8 in.)
 Materials plastic, adhesive, Kapton tape, Velcro, ink
 Inventory Number A20231164000 Credit Line Gift of Don Pettit Data Source National Air and Space Museum Restrictions & Rights Usage conditions apply
For more information, visit the Smithsonians Terms of Use.