Eating Aboard the Space Shuttle Amber, Kristen, Leora, Brayell, Kelsey Z.

1. How many missions and people have space shuttles transported through the years? 1. How many missions and people have space shuttles transported through the years? There has been 88 missions, and 457 people have been transported.

2. What special equipment is needed for simple chores in the space shuttle? You need biocidal cleanser, disposable, general wipes, and vacuum cleaners.

3.How has the food on space flight changed from Mercury Program until present day? During the Mercury flights, there was a limited menu. Food was cut into bite sized cubes, freeze dried, or stuffed into tubes. Now astronauts choose and taste their food and menu ahead of time, and it is closer to real food. Their personal menu is checked by a dietician, and they have a wide verity of food to choose from.

An astronaut eating freeze dried food.

4. Give some examples of rehydrated food and explain how to prepare them? Rehydrated foods are foods such as soups, macaroni and cheese, and scrambled eggs. They are very dehydrated and a set amount of water must be added to them.

Astronauts eating rehydrated foods.

5.What are thermo stabilized foods? How are they made? Thermo stabilized foods are heat processed to destroy microorganisms. The package is then heated, cut open. Foods such as grilled chicken, ham, tomatoes, and puddings are thermo stabilized.

6. Why don’t intermediate moisture foods spoil? Give examples of these. Intermediate moisture foods don’t spoil because they have enough water taken out so that bacteria can not grow. Examples of these foods are peaches, pears, and dried beef.

7. Why can’t pepper, salt, or bread be used as it is here on earth? Pepper and salt are dissolved in fluids to keep them from floating. Pepper and salt are dissolved in fluids to keep them from floating. Instead of bread, flour tortillas are used to avoid crumbs. Instead of bread, flour tortillas are used to avoid crumbs.

8. How are liquids packaged in space? Why? All beverages and drinks are contained in drink bags with straws because you are unable to pour them. All beverages and drinks are contained in drink bags with straws because you are unable to pour them. The drink bag is pre-filled with powder. The drink bag is pre-filled with powder. To drink the beverage stick a straw inside the bag. To drink the beverage stick a straw inside the bag. The straw has a closure in the middle, to close up the bag between sips to avoid spilling fluid drops. The straw has a closure in the middle, to close up the bag between sips to avoid spilling fluid drops.

Some astronauts use meal trays to eat. People in space use biocidal cleanser to wash dishes as well as many other things. 9. How is sitting to eat, and doing the dishes different in space?

Some foods that can’t be used in space are: Salt, Pepper, Bread, Bread crumbs could float into machines and wreck them. The separate grains if salt or pepper could wreck the machines too. 10. What foods would not be allowed on the space menu and why?