Food In Space

NASA is working with food scientists like Takiyah Simons and Jessica Vos to develop breakfast bars that are nutritious and filling, but also light enough so that they will not burden a space craft with too much weight on any potential long flight mission to Mars. Astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) have a great choice from among 200 foods, but on long flight missions, astronauts cannot count on resupply ships coming to their rescue to bring them this great selection of food. Orion has limited room inside it to accommodate the supplies and food astronauts will need during their missions. Because flights to deep space cannot rely on resupply spacecraft to deliver what astronauts need, and to dispose of trash, the Orion crew will have to take everything they need with them and bring it all back home. Given the distances Orion will travel, teams also must limit Orion’s mass, since a heavier spacecraft requires more fuel and energy to propel it to its ultimate destination. The Orion spacecraft, which will be counted on to deliver astronauts to Mars, will carry great tasting food bars, with flavours including organge cranberry, for breakfast. Lunch and dinner meals will have more selection, and astros will have a food warmer to heat the food. Still, carrying food for a year long mission on a smallish spacecraft is a challenge NASA is looking to conquer.