The zero-gravity cup was the first patented product to be invented in space. NASA astronaut Pettit designed it for use on the International Space Station. Astronauts normally drink out of plastic bags with straws, but Pettit wanted to “recreate how people drink their beverages on Earth,” thus adding “back the dimension of what it’s like to be a human being” while in orbit. He made the prototype using a plastic file divider and high-temperature resistant Kapton tape. The design is based on the principle of capillary channel flow, in which liquid moves through a narrow space as a result of surface tension rather than gravity, such as when water collects in our tear ducts when we cry.
Pirouette: Turning Points in Design, January 26, 2025–November 15, 2025
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