As the Artemis II mission prepares to carry humans back toward the Moon for the first time in over 50 years, the crew is trading the unappetizing “tubes and cubes” of the 1960s for a sophisticated lunar buffet.
NASA has revealed a massive menu of 189 unique items designed to keep Commander Reid Wiseman and his team fueled during their 10-day journey.
The selection balances comfort with strict engineering. Since the Orion spacecraft lacks a refrigerator, all food is shelf-stable utilizing “ready-to-eat, rehydratable, thermostabilized or irradiated” methods.
To avoid floating debris, the crew will carry 58 tortillas instead of bread, as they produce fewer crumbs in microgravity.
Highlights include barbecued beef brisket, macaroni and cheese and spicy green beans. For dessert they can enjoy maple cream cookies and candy-coated almonds.
NASA emphasised that “beverage options are limited due to upmass constraints” but the crew still has ten choices including mango-peach smoothies and 43 cups of coffee.
To combat the dulled sense of taste common in space, five different hot sauces are included.
NASA explained that “food selections are developed in coordination with space food experts and the crew to balance calorie needs, hydration and nutrition intake while accommodating individual crew preferences.”
