It requires months of advanced planning
2. It means following a strict diet
Astronauts need to receive their recommended daily caloric intake (3,200 calories on average) so they can maintain their energy levels and overall good health.
3. It means using rehydratable food and drinks
Dehydrated foods and drinks make up much of the menu because water, a by-product of the spacecraft’s fuel cells, is abundantly available for food preparation.
4. It also means having a LOT of tortillas
Flour-based tortillas have been a staple meal for astronauts in space since 1985 – after Mexican scientist Rodolfo Neri Vela requested them for his mission.
Tortillas are perfect for space travel because they have a longer shelf life than bread and don’t result in dangerous crumbs floating around and damaging the equipment.
5. It means all foods will taste bland
How astronauts eat food in outer space.
Nasa astronaut Karen Nyberg (Nasa/Flickr)
Being in space can put a dampener on appetites.
Without gravity, food aromas tend to waft away before they make it to the nose. Also, body fluids often tend to rise to the top half of astronauts’ bodies, meaning their noses are perpetually snuffy.
6. Hygiene is of utmost importance
Living in the cramped quarters of the space shuttle for weeks, or even months, at a time can get stinky if astronauts aren’t careful about their personal hygiene.
Dirty living conditions can spread germs faster in space due to reduced gravitational pull.
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7. It means food has to be tightly packed
Unfortunately, in space food isn’t served to make it look more appetising.
In fact, food is processed, dehydrated and tightly packed in little bags to make it last longer, be as weightless as possible, and ensure any crumbs or spillages don’t damage the spacecraft’s priceless equipment.
The packaged food comes with a bar-code label, which helps to track an astronaut’s diet.
8. Digesting food may be difficult
Some astronauts begin to experience digestive problems after they’ve been in space for a long time.
9. There are no food refrigerators
There are no refrigerators in space, so space food must be stored and prepared properly to avoid spoilage, especially on longer missions.
All foods are stowed in locker trays at room temperature and vacuum-packed using a freeze-drying technique, which freezes the food and then reduces the surrounding pressure to allow the frozen water in the material to sublimate directly from the solid phase to the gas phase.
Depending on whether hot water is available in the shuttle, astronauts may often have to eat their food cold.
