Food In SpaceFood In Space

Student CreatedStudent Created

Project MercuryProject Mercury The first space mission The first space mission

where food was taken on the where food was taken on the trip was the Project Mercury trip was the Project Mercury trips of the 1960’strips of the 1960’s

““The first space foods were The first space foods were unappetizing, to say the unappetizing, to say the least. Most were semi-least. Most were semi-liquids that were squeezed liquids that were squeezed from tubes and sucked up from tubes and sucked up through straws. There were through straws. There were also bite-sized cubes of also bite-sized cubes of compressed and dehydrated compressed and dehydrated foods that were rehydrated foods that were rehydrated by the saliva in the by the saliva in the astronauts' mouths”. astronauts' mouths”.

GeminiGemini By the Gemini missions By the Gemini missions

of 1965 NASA had of 1965 NASA had developed freeze dried developed freeze dried foods that allowed a foods that allowed a wide variety of foods to wide variety of foods to be served.be served.

Freeze dried food was Freeze dried food was food that was cooked food that was cooked then quickly frozen and then quickly frozen and dried in a vacuumdried in a vacuum

To rehydrate the food To rehydrate the food water was simply added water was simply added to the packageto the package

ApolloApollo The Apollo mission was The Apollo mission was

the first mission to use the first mission to use hot water to rehydrate hot water to rehydrate food.food.

This was the first This was the first mission that spoons mission that spoons were used to eat food were used to eat food instead of squeeze instead of squeeze bottles. The wetness bottles. The wetness from the food made the from the food made the food cling to the spoon food cling to the spoon and not float away.and not float away.

Apollo Cont.Apollo Cont. ““The Apollo mission also The Apollo mission also

introduced thermo stabilized introduced thermo stabilized pouches called wet packs. pouches called wet packs. These flexible plastic or These flexible plastic or aluminum foil pouches kept aluminum foil pouches kept food moist enough so that it food moist enough so that it didn't have to be rehydrated. didn't have to be rehydrated. The Apollo crew was able to The Apollo crew was able to dine on bacon squares, dine on bacon squares, cornflakes, beef cornflakes, beef sandwiches, chocolate sandwiches, chocolate pudding and tuna salad. As pudding and tuna salad. As Apollo 8 circled the moon on Apollo 8 circled the moon on Christmas Eve 1968, the Christmas Eve 1968, the crew even feasted on crew even feasted on fruitcake”. fruitcake”.

SkylabSkylab The Skylab missions were The Skylab missions were

the first to have large the first to have large dinning rooms where the dinning rooms where the astronauts could sit down astronauts could sit down and eat. It also had on and eat. It also had on board refrigeration which board refrigeration which the current space shuttle the current space shuttle does not havedoes not have

They had 72 different types They had 72 different types of menu items in all. of menu items in all.

Food warmer trays allowed Food warmer trays allowed astronauts to heat their food astronauts to heat their food in-flight. in-flight.

Present day Present day ““By the early 1980s and the launch By the early 1980s and the launch

of the first space shuttle, meals of the first space shuttle, meals looked almost identical to what looked almost identical to what astronauts ate on Earth”.astronauts ate on Earth”.

“ “Astronauts designed their own Astronauts designed their own seven day menus selected from 74 seven day menus selected from 74 different foods and 20 drinks”.different foods and 20 drinks”.

“ “They prepared their meals in a They prepared their meals in a galley with a water dispenser and an galley with a water dispenser and an oven”. oven”.

““When the Space Shuttle Discovery When the Space Shuttle Discovery launched in 2006, it was clear space launched in 2006, it was clear space food had entered a new realm. food had entered a new realm. Restaurateur and celebrity chef, Restaurateur and celebrity chef, Emeril Lagasse, designed a menu Emeril Lagasse, designed a menu that included selections like that included selections like "kicked-up" mashed potatoes, "kicked-up" mashed potatoes, jambalaya and bread pudding (with jambalaya and bread pudding (with rum extract since alcohol is not rum extract since alcohol is not allowed in space)” allowed in space)”

How do they pick the food?How do they pick the food? ““Today astronauts have dozens Today astronauts have dozens

of different foods to choose of different foods to choose from. They also play a big part from. They also play a big part in the selection process. About in the selection process. About five months before a mission five months before a mission launches, crewmembers get to launches, crewmembers get to visit the Space Food Systems visit the Space Food Systems Laboratory at the Johnson Laboratory at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Space Center in Houston, Texas. At the lab, astronauts act Texas. At the lab, astronauts act as food critics. They sample 20 as food critics. They sample 20 to 30 items and rank them on a to 30 items and rank them on a scale of 1 to 9 in appearance, scale of 1 to 9 in appearance, color, smell, taste and texture. color, smell, taste and texture. Any food that scores a 6 or Any food that scores a 6 or higher can make it onto the higher can make it onto the menu”. menu”.

How much food do they have?How much food do they have? The space shuttle carries The space shuttle carries

about 3.8 pounds of food, about 3.8 pounds of food, including 1 pound of including 1 pound of packaging, per astronaut for packaging, per astronaut for each day of the mission. The each day of the mission. The astronauts get three meals a astronauts get three meals a day, plus snacks. A back-up day, plus snacks. A back-up Safe Haven food system Safe Haven food system provides an extra 2,000 provides an extra 2,000 calories per day, per calories per day, per astronaut. It's designed to astronaut. It's designed to sustain the crew for an extra sustain the crew for an extra three weeks in case of three weeks in case of emergency emergency

Where do they get water?Where do they get water? The space shuttle gets The space shuttle gets

its water supply from its water supply from fuel cells, which fuel cells, which produce electricity by produce electricity by combining hydrogen combining hydrogen and oxygen -- the main and oxygen -- the main components of water. components of water. At the ISS, water is At the ISS, water is recycled from the cabin recycled from the cabin air. Because there is air. Because there is little water to spare, little water to spare, most foods on the most foods on the Space Station are Space Station are thermo stabilized rather thermo stabilized rather than dehydrated.than dehydrated.

Future of Space foodFuture of Space foodNASA plans to grow fruits and vegetables NASA plans to grow fruits and vegetables

on space farms -- greenhouses that are on space farms -- greenhouses that are temperature-controlled, artificially lit and temperature-controlled, artificially lit and employ a hydroponic system, which uses employ a hydroponic system, which uses nutrients instead of typical soil. Crops nutrients instead of typical soil. Crops might include soybeans, peanuts, spinach, might include soybeans, peanuts, spinach, cabbage, lettuce and rice. Wheat berries cabbage, lettuce and rice. Wheat berries and soybeans can be grown and and soybeans can be grown and processed into pasta or bread processed into pasta or bread

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