Infographic : Evolution of Food in Space
From Bland Puree to Almost Like on Earth
From Bland Puree to Almost Like on Earth
The famous leap for mankind made by space pioneers of the 1960’s set a path for another, even greater leap that astronauts are about to make in the following decade. We are currently preparing for a mission that was thought to be possible only in sci-fi books and movies - a journey to Mars.
As part of their preparations for Mars, NASA is conducting studies aboard the International Space Station about all the things to anticipate in space. An astronaut who recently returned to Earth after 340 days spent on ISS was one of the stars of the experiment. His name is Scott Kelly and, together with his twin brother who stayed on Earth, he played a major role in determining how our bodies behave in prolonged microgravity conditions. For example, it’s interesting to note that Mr. Kelly was 1.5 inches taller in space than on Earth. Why is that? Will he “shrink” back to his normal height? In microgravity bodily fluids move up to the upper part of the body, making astronauts congested, affecting their vision and sense of smell etc. Does this unusual state leave some permanent marks on an astronaut’s body? We’ll find answers to all these questions and more, after Mr. Kelly’s medical tests are analyzed in the upcoming months. But one thing is certain: among the things astronauts miss the most when they’re in space is home food. To successfully complete their missions, astronauts need to be emotionally and psychologically stable to withstand weightlessness, isolation and other challenges of long space flights. And as surprising as it may seem, NASA’s crew commander Angelo Vermeulen claims that food is absolutely crucial to the psychology of the crew. The following infographic will take you on a journey through the evolution of food in space, show you the challenges of eating in zero gravity, educate you on space food preparation processes and explain why food is such an important factor in keeping the astronauts sane. See more at: http://labeley.com/article/space-food-infographic/#sthash.pATClDFM.dpuf |
Why It’s Important to Package and Label Space Food Properly:
Most space food items require preparation, so they need labels with instructions on how much water to insert into the packaging, how long to heat the meal, etc. According to NASA, space food labels include:
How Space Food Affects Earth Food Advancements in food packaging preservation and preparation to meet the challenges of space travel resulted in many innovations with commercial products used on Earth. Some examples include:
In Conclusion... From the dawn of civilization on Earth to our future on distant planets, food was and will probably always be one of the most important things for humans, not only for the basic survival, but also for our mental and emotional well-being. Astronauts and NASA scientists know this too well and are putting a strong emphasis on this part of their preparations for Mars. - See more at: http://labeley.com/article/space-food-infographic/#sthash.pATClDFM.dpuf |