In space where there is no gravity, crumbs don’t fall on the floor. They rather float around, which can be dangerous to important equipment. What does this mean for astronauts? It means that they can’t take bread into space. But there’s a solution. Tortillas! And occasionally, flatbread. What else can astronauts eat outside of Earth’s atmosphere? How do they eat it? Here are your answers.
Tortillas
You already know why astronauts can’t take bread into space. So, if you have an unhealthy love for bread, you may want to reconsider this career choice or just start loving tortillas as much. How do tortillas work in space?
The tortilla is packed into a plastic wrap like most other foods taken into space. And what if you want to heat it to prevent it from cracking? The International Space Station now has an induction oven for that!
Tea and Coffee
Unlike liquid, which stays in its container, powder floats about in space. This means astronauts can’t carry packets of sugar and cream into space. The only way would be to let the food science team have their preferred proportions beforehand.
The coffee mix comes in a small pouch, and once they are in space, all they have to do is inject hot water. How do the astronauts drink it? They use specially adapted straws for drinking rehydrated beverages from pouches.
Spicy Food
Of all the most dangerous powders you could carry into space, pepper is the worst. However, astronauts tend to crave more spicy food in space. Why? Because in space, your sense of taste is slightly altered.
Most foods taste bland in space, so astronauts usually need more intense flavors to enjoy anything, and they tend to favor a lot of spice. So, what is the solution to this? Hot sauce! It’s liquid, thus perfect.
Cold Drinks
Can you take a freezer into space? Well, yes, but it won’t be a food freezer. However, you can improvise and also use it for your food as well. If you have a special drink you like to take, you can keep it in MERLIN.
MERLIN is a cooler designed for scientific experiments. It helps to keep objects in a controlled temperature between 20 degrees Celcius and 48.5 degrees Celsius. And luckily, you can keep your food and drinks in there as well.
Pizza
It is said that space shuttle astronaut Don Thomas took the first pizza into space. With its different bursts of flavors and its range, we have to say it was a great decision. Doesn’t it even beat plain bread on any day?
Thomas had said that pizza was his favorite food, and he would prefer it to anything else in space. So, in place of a tortilla or any other snack in his launch pad, NASA made him a pizza instead.
