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Space food and wine tasting

Space food and wine tasting

Space food and wine tasting experience exploring new designs for 3D pasta and glasses shaped by the behaviour of fluids and gestures in microgravity.

The issue of design for interplanetary space exploration focuses on several essential aspects, including the production, preparation, consumption and storage of food. These factors are crucial to ensure self-sufficient extraterrestrial habitats capable of functioning as living organisms. In this context, space tourism plays an important role by promoting innovation and enabling travellers to enjoy unforgettable experiences that go beyond the collective imagination of Space.

Space food and wine tasting

The challenge of Space Design is not limited to creating environments and products, but expands to designing experiences, in this case food and wine, that are functional but also emotionally engaging. Innovation is most disruptive when the objective is to transform the limit of gravity into an advantage by imagining with Ancap, a partner in the project, new tools instead of plates, cutlery and glasses for eating and drinking inspired by new weightless gestures.

Space food and wine tasting Space food and wine tasting Space food and wine tasting

A significant example of innovation is the base-less wine goblet designed for use in the absence of gravity. Since liquids in microgravity tend to flow along surfaces by capillarity, the goblet was designed to allow tasting without the need to completely contain the liquid. This prototype was developed in collaboration with Italesse and takes into account the influence of shapes on the senses, enhancing taste and olfactory qualities.

Space food and wine tasting Space food and wine tasting

Another disruptive innovation is the 3D pasta that was created to explore what will be the future of production technologies. Barilla Blue 1877 - Rhapsody, a partner in the project, has provided its know-how to produce new forms of food containing nutrient-rich sauces, offering an ideal solution for feeding in space. The food printing and programming processes are reminiscent of the Star Trek replicator, suggesting an evolution of alimentary production that could be applied both on Earth and in Space.

Space food and wine tasting
PartnersEuropean Space Agency (ESA), Ancap, Barilla Blue 1887 - Rhapsody, Italesse
DesignESA_LAB@PoliMi_Design, Space4InspirACTion
PrincipalsAnnalisa Dominoni, Benedetto Quaquaro
TeamNicola Montefusco, Fidan Ezgi Arar, Teming Kang, Giulia Mammoliti, Bengu Ozcan, Gaia Rubino
TypeSpace products — Sensory objects
Ministero Affari Esteri Diplomazia scientifica Polimi Esa