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wavingerwin
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I was wondering because they can't possibly bring 'normal' food for weeks/months of trip which need heaps of storage... or can they?
nismaratwork said:Not too many beans or cruciform veggies though... bad gas.
caffenta said:Here's what they eat: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_food. Sure looks better than what we get from United Airlines.
Math Is Hard said:I want to see them manage that cheese spread.
joej24 said:I saw astronauts eat MnMs in space before. Is there no gravity in the spaceship at all times? Does that mean they keep floating around?
This and that, you know? Big bangers and mash, if they're Brits. Else something like black holey ravioli with space aged cheddar. Dessert is usually globular custard or supermassive blackforest cake. And lots and lots of cosmic microwave snacks in between meals.v_bachtiar said:What kind of food do astronauts eat?
Gokul43201 said:This and that, you know? Big bangers and mash, if they're Brits. Else something like black holey ravioli with space aged cheddar. Dessert is usually globular custard or supermassive blackforest cake. And lots and lots of cosmic microwave snacks in between meals.
v_bachtiar said:I was wondering because they can't possibly bring 'normal' food for weeks/months of trip which need heaps of storage... or can they?
hypatia said:They eat launch meat. I was told "The food was good, but the place lacked atmosphere".
hypatia said:They eat launch meat. I was told "The food was good, but the place lacked atmosphere".
I think the small grainy food means powdery food. One would not want powder floating around.Evo said:
I watched a show on developing food for the astronauts. Apparently the sense of taste is diminished in space, so the food is made extra spicy. Liquids getting loose can be disastrous, so all liquids are sipped out of pouches, same reason small grainy food is not allowed. The Americans are not allowed to take alcohol, so they are happy to share the Russian's vodka rations.
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/living/spacefood/index.htmlCondiments are provided such as ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise. Salt and pepper are available but only in a liquid form. This is because astronauts can't sprinkle salt and pepper on their food in space. The salt and pepper would simply float away. There is a danger they could clog air vents, contaminate equipment or get stuck in an astronaut's eyes, mouth or nose.
. . . .
Despite its "threat" to the astronaut, spicy foods are popular in space because most of the food is dried in one form or another and zero gravity does nothing good for sinuses or flavor. And this article notes "NASA's food laboratory carefully balances diets between six categories: beverage, rehydratable, intermediate moisture, thermostabilized, irradiated, and natural form."Yum. Astronaut Don Pettit brought along small cans of green chilies on one Space shuttle trip. On a previous mission, taco sauce had become carefully guarded currency.
[Former astronaut Sid] Gutierrez, who said he knew he wanted to be an astronaut since grade school, spoke Monday in the Administration Building Auditorium to kick off the Laboratory's celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month.
...
Gutierrez also drew chuckles when he said space travel affects a person's taste buds. He said shuttle crews always take spicy accouterments like taco sauce to make food taste better. The taco sauce, he said, also could be used for barter. "If it was your turn to say, clean the latrine, you could trade for two packets of taco sauce," he said.
mugaliens said:One lives down the street from my parents. He agrees with me. What in the world are you up to, Evo?
Space has always been full of mysteries. People have researched space. People have explored space. Many questions have been answered. We learn more about space with every trip we take. There are still a lot of questions to answer. One question is: why doesn't food taste the same in space?
People who live in space have said that food is not the same in space. Some astronauts say it tastes bland when they are in orbit. Some do not like their favorite foods. Some love to eat foods they would never eat on Earth. Some crew members say they can't tell any difference. Why? NASA has some clues. But, no one is completely sure.
When It Comes to Living in Space, It's a Matter of Taste
NASA has come a long way from Tang and toothpaste-like chow, but even with more Earthlike vittles, spicy food seems to be a favorite of taste bud-challenged space station crews
Since the early days of manned spaceflight, astronauts have reported that eats taste different in microgravity. Many said that flavors are dulled and they crave fare that is spicier and considerably more tart than they would prefer on Earth. It's not uncommon for space travelers to enjoy cuisine in space that they couldn't stand at home, and vice versa.
from CHANGES IN SPACE FOOD OVER THE LAST 45 YEARSAnecdotal reports from the crew have suggested that the sense of taste changes in microgravity. Since approximately 85% of what you taste is what you smell, it is not clear whether this phenomenon is due to fluid shift in the body, vehicle air currents where hot air does not rise, or that the food is not piping hot in temperature. The observed effect could also be related to the fact that the crew is far from home and the result may be the need for “comfort foods”.
Jimmy Snyder said:They eat at Planet Hollywood. The menu includes astro surf and turf, venus clams, and Capricorn. They wash it down with a vodka sunrise. Also, they eat lots of candy, Mars Bars, Milky Way bars, Moon Pies. Also Tang.
nismaratwork said:What I find so amazing, is that the freeze-dried ice cream of many a science museaum gift-shop fame... is NOT eaten (at least, not now). Too powdery, and apparently not very popular withe 'naughts.
@Hypatia: http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/southern-moon-pies/Detail.aspx
They are... oh... they're very good.
Jimmy Snyder said:Also Tang.
I think that's one of those things that lost popularity with the space crowd and found use elsewhere. In this case, I believe it became pretty popular with troops stationed in tropical lands. More recently it's been popular among backpackers. You'll find freeze dried ice-cream in most any outdoor gear store. I like to take some along anytime I'm leading a trip with newbie backpackers. Freeze-dried ice cream + water + strawberries makes for a neat dessert after a long day of trudging through hills and woods.nismaratwork said:What I find so amazing, is that the freeze-dried ice cream of many a science museaum gift-shop fame... is NOT eaten (at least, not now). Too powdery, and apparently not very popular withe 'naughts.
Gokul43201 said:I think that's one of those things that lost popularity with the space crowd and found use elsewhere. In this case, I believe it became pretty popular with troops stationed in tropical lands. More recently it's been popular among backpackers. You'll find freeze dried ice-cream in most any outdoor gear store. I like to take some along anytime I'm leading a trip with newbie backpackers. Freeze-dried ice cream + water + strawberries makes for a neat dessert after a long day of trudging through hills and woods.
Jimmy Snyder said:Of course, the biggest problem in space is not food, but water. What good is all that freeze dried stuff if you can't reconstitute it. However, water adds too much weight to the payload. So they use powdered water. It's a two step process. First you reconstitute the water, then the ice cream. You don't want to know how they reconstitute the water though.
jtbell said:Does anybody else remember those TV commercials for Tang, "the breakfast drink of astronauts?"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWghCdIqedA
nismaratwork said:@Physics girl phd: Nor should it, but Tang? Really?! I never could stand powdered drink mixes of any kind... yet I like slushies... clearly it's a matter of what we have as kids, and no virtue of taste.
Astronauts have a variety of food options available to them, including freeze-dried meals, thermostabilized foods, and fresh produce. They also have access to snacks like nuts, granola bars, and candy.
Astronauts use special equipment to prepare and eat their food in space. They have a rehydration station to add water to their freeze-dried meals, and a food warmer to heat up thermostabilized foods. They also have utensils that are designed to be used in microgravity.
Astronauts do not have any specific dietary restrictions in space, but they do have to follow a strict diet plan to ensure they are getting enough nutrients and calories. They also have to avoid foods that can cause crumbs or produce strong odors, as these can be hazardous in a confined space.
Astronauts have access to a small greenhouse on the International Space Station, where they can grow fresh produce like lettuce, radishes, and other vegetables. They also receive regular shipments of fresh fruits and vegetables from Earth.
Yes, astronauts are allowed to bring some of their favorite foods from their home country to eat in space. However, these foods must meet the same safety and storage requirements as other space food and must be approved by NASA before being brought on a mission.