What do the sun’s corona, and a cup of freshly roasted coffee have in common? If you're thinking "absolutely nothing," you’re not alone. But for engineers and entrepreneurs Dr. Matthew Schurman and Dr. Richard Stall, the unlikely intersection of space science and artisanal coffee was the spark behind a radical new approach to roasting—one that’s already shaking up the industry.
A Stellar Beginning
Before founding Outer Worlds Coffee, Schurman and Stall spent years developing solutions for one of the most complex problems in spacecraft engineering: how to simulate the harsh environment of the sun for NASA’s Parker Solar Probe, the first human-made object to enter the sun’s corona. Their company, new Forge Technologies, developed powerful vacuum-based optical systems to test spacecraft solar panels under extreme heat and light, recreating near-sun, space-like conditions right here on Earth.
To simulate those conditions, they built high-powered optical systems capable of delivering intense, concentrated light within a high-vacuum environment—effectively recreating solar exposure in space. These systems could safely and precisely deliver enormous optical energy in a controlled, airless chamber, something traditional heat or lamp-based systems couldn't achieve.
Once the Parker Solar Probe testing was complete and their systems were decommissioned, the team began exploring alternate applications for the powerful technology they had developed. During this time, the pandemic paused or delayed much of their usual contract work, providing a unique window to experiment. When Parker Solar Probe launched and the work was done, a new question emerged: What next?
Coffee Roasting, Reinvented using NASA Inspired Technology
The inspiration came from down the street—a local coffee roaster Benfatto Coffee Roasters working near their engineering facility. One idle comment: “We could roast coffee with light,” snowballed into a full-blown experiment. With COVID delaying many of their usual engineering contracts, Matthew and his partner Rick decided to explore this novel idea.
Drawing on the characteristics of the vacuum-optical platform, they began investigating how organic materials—specifically green coffee beans—responded to high-intensity light exposure in a vacuum. What they discovered was striking: the vacuum environment didn’t just enable an efficient roast. It altered the fundamental chemistry of the roasting process.
The Vacuum Advantage
Unlike traditional methods that rely on flames and hot air, Outer Worlds Coffee uses a vacuum chamber paired with high-powered LEDs. While the sci-fi visuals of roasting beans with light grab attention, the real innovation lies in what is NOT there: vacuum. It’s this environment that allows Schurman and Stall’s team to manipulate the Maillard reaction—the chemical process responsible for browning foods—in entirely new ways.
The absence of air affected the Maillard reaction, a key mechanism in developing flavor compounds, allowed for degassing during roasting and significantly reduced the formation of bitter compounds and oxidized oils. The result was a cleaner, less carcinogenic, more controlled, and more chemically stable roast—something not achievable with traditional flame or hot-air methods.
They spent three years perfecting their Luminary Roast™ process. What began as a testbed for simulating solar radiation became the foundation for a revolutionary new roasting method that preserves flavor, optimizes energy use, and creates a smoother, chemical free, refined cup of coffee.
By controlling this process in a vacuum, Outer Worlds Coffee can produce coffee beans with less bitterness, reduced oils, and almost no unwanted byproducts. The result? A smoother, cleaner, and more complex flavor profile. Better yet, the beans can be brewed instantly because no degassing period is required. Roast to cup, no waiting period, true innovation for the coffee industry.
Green, Clean, and Efficient
Outer Worlds’ roasting process is all-electric. Traditional coffee roasters often rely on gas flames that produce CO₂ emissions and require significant heat-up time as well as wasted heat. Outer Worlds Coffee skips all that. Their targeted light energy focuses only on the beans—no wasted heat, no hot air, no smokestack. It’s a win for sustainability: less energy, fewer emissions, and a more efficient process. As Schurman puts it, “the only thing coming out the back of our machine is the smell of roasted coffee and a bit of water vapor.”
From Solar Technology to a Great Cup of Coffee
From testing NASA spacecraft to brewing the freshest cup of coffee on the planet, the story of Outer Worlds is a testament to the power of cross-disciplinary innovation. It’s not every day that space tech finds a home in your kitchen, but when it does, the results are—literally—out of this world.