Space Food

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As our astronauts continue to fly into space, scientists constantly try to improve the food items that the astronauts eat.

Space food is actually very similar to what you might find at the grocery store, but it is packaged a little differently. The food is packaged so that the astronauts can get all the vitamins and nutrients that they need to stay healthy on their flight and to prevent the food from damaging the ship's equipment.

Food for Early Astronauts

John Glenn was America’s first astronaut to eat food in space. At first there wasn’t much to pick from, mostly freeze dried- powders, bite size cubes, and semi-liquids stuffed in aluminum tubes. The foods were very unappetizing. The bite size cubes had to be coated with a special kind of gelatin (like Jell-O) to keep it from crumbling. This was especially important because the crumbs could have floated into the spaceship’s instruments and possibly shut down its systems. Freeze dried foods were cased in a special container to make the foods form easier. Improving the food packaging also improved the taste.

Apollo astronauts were the first to have hot water to add to the foods, so they tasted better. They were the first to use the "Spoon Bowl", a plastic container that could be opened and its contents eaten with a spoon. We call this a pudding or Jell-O cup now.

Skylab was one of the first spaceships to have a place to eat with a table, freezer, refrigerator, hot and cold water, and an oven to warm up foods.

Food on the Space Shuttle

Inside the space shuttle it is very small and there is not much room to eat. When a crew member eats, he uses a tray that attaches to his lap or on a wall. Because of the lack of gravity in outer space, the trays of food could float all over the space shuttle. This is why they had to design a tray like that. Also the tray makes the food stay on it.

Each crew member has a limit of 3.8 pounds of food per person per day, including 1 pound of packaging. All foods are packaged for single servings so they can just throw away the package after they are done eating. They also have on board an extra two days of food for all the crew members in case of any emergencies.

Choosing the Menu

Astronauts have to choose a menu for their shuttle flight six months before they leave. The crew can help pick out their menu, but it has to include a balanced diet.

Astronauts can choose their menu from a variety of foods:

Rehydratable foods, like cereal, nonfat milk, or sugar where the water is removed and you add water to eat it.
Thermostabilized foods are heat processed to destroy harmful bacteria. Examples of these are puddings, fruits, fish, beef, chicken and vegetables. These foods are eaten directly from the container in cans, plastic cups, or pouches.
Intermediate moisture foods are available with some water still left in the container. This is so that the texture of the food is soft and ready to eat. Examples are dried peaches, pears, apricots, and dried beef.
Natural form foods are like nuts, granola bars, cookies, or M&M’s.
Condiments such as catsup, mustard, liquid pepper, and liquid salt.
Packaged tortillas to use as bread. Regular bread would get way too crumbly. These tortillas have been packaged by removing the oxygen to prevent the growth of mold on them.

Two favorite foods of the astronauts are shrimp cocktail and M&M’s! Foods are tested everyday for improvements.

Brush, Brush, Brush

The astronauts have to brush their teeth after each meal just like you and me. They also have a "Waste Collection System" which is just like a toilet on Earth. When an astronaut flies into space, the shuttle is designed to make them as comfortable as possible.

With all the latest technologies in the space program, I wouldn’t doubt, that soon space food will consist of pizza and chicken nuggets!

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Space Exploration of the Past, Present, and Future
Bartlett Elementary School 2000