What Do Astronauts Eat In Space?

We have probably all found ourselves in situation where we’re looking at the night sky with astonishment and wondering if maybe there is someone out there besides us? Space is at the same time both scary and magical. It’s hiding so many wonderful secrets waiting for us to reveal them, but on the other hand it’s unkind to human life. There is no air, no water, no food, no gravity and many other things necessary for human survival. And yet, with technology developments, men have found a way to cheat nature and live in that endless vacuum zone even though it’s only for short periods of time.

It all began with the first man in space, Yuri Gagarin. Ever since his explorations, the horizons and limits have expanded. Today, we are preparing for a much longer and further journey than a trip to the orbit – a Journey to Mars. Also, a latest report confirms that Stephen Hawking and a Russian billionaire are working on a project called Breakthrough Starshot (to send spacecraft to Alpha Centuari in 20 years).

Scientists have been working really hard on designing a human-friendly environment that will help astronauts fulfill their tasks in space. And one of the very important matters for human survival and proper human functioning that the scientists have been focused on is food.

What started as pureed food in tubes on first space missions improved over time, so essentially the astronauts now have meals in space almost like on Earth. There are special ways of preserving space food, so it can last longer up there.

The following infographic shows the evolution of space food, explains what astronaut food should be like, illustrates how it should be preserved and prepared, and describes how astronauts eat in microgravity. It also reveals some fun space food facts such as the problem with the ice-cream from the Apollo phase which crumbled and tasted like styrofoam. Check it out and learn what’s it like to eat as an astronaut.

Source: Labeley.com