NASA Scientists Enjoy High Tea

Tea consumption is reaching new heights! Literally. Don Pettit, NASA’s ISS Expedition 6 Science Officer has filmed a series of afternoon tea demonstrations, viewable by the public at the Science@NASA’s web site.  The movie clips show NASA personnel grasping and eating tea in low gravity. The large floating droplets of tea are described as “large enough to quench your thirst and tough enough to handle using chopsticks.”

The NASA site also speculates on the beverage’s future, noting that, “one day, perhaps, luxury space hotels will offer their guests afternoon tea 300 miles above Earth. No cups or plates. Just chopsticks and droplets.”

The short movies serve to educate viewers about basic fluid physics by showing how tea, honey and peanut butter behave in microgravity and by explaining potential benefits of this research.