In recent news, the International Space Station (ISS) is expecting a delivery of a zero gravity espresso coffee machine.

It will be hand delivered by an Italian astronaut, Samantha Cristoforetti.

The espresso coffee machine is designed by Italian coffee makers, Lavazza, with help with the engineering of zero-gravity equipment from Argotec, who specialises in the preparation of space food.

Cristofretti’s proudly enough the first female astronaut from Italy, also is the first astronaut in the history of space travel to deliver to the ISS the finest of espresso coffee machines specially designed for space orbit.

As if the engineering couldn’t get any better, the machine uses what the firms describe as ‘extraterrestrial’ capsules and has the ability to operate in ‘microgravity’ conditions.

One of the biggest challenges faced from the engineering perspective was having to manipulate the original structure of the espresso machine to allow the liquids to flow properly in a zero-gravity situation. The steel components of the machine also have to be able to resist extensive pressure.

Cristoforetti’s journey will be accompanied by American Terry Virts, and Russian Anton Shkaplerov. They will be launched from a Soyuz rocket from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, and won’t return to Earth until May 2015.