A Menu of Firsts and Fundamentals
On February 20, 1962, John Glenn's historic flight aboard Friendship 7 marked a significant milestone not just in space travel, but also in the history of human nutrition beyond Earth. The menu for this short-duration mission was far from gourmet, but it served a vital scientific purpose. NASA needed to confirm that the human body could effectively swallow and process food without the aid of gravity, a process some experts believed would be difficult or impossible.
Glenn’s in-flight cuisine consisted of three main items, all contained within aluminum squeeze tubes or compressed for easy consumption:
- Pureed beef with vegetables: This meat and vegetable paste was contained in a collapsible aluminum tube, resembling a modern-day toothpaste tube.
- Applesauce: A tube of pureed applesauce provided a slightly sweeter, easier-to-swallow option.
- Malted milk tablets: These tablets, consumed in bite-sized form or dissolved in water, offered an easily digestible, high-calorie snack.
The simple design of the food delivery system, with pureed and pressed items, directly addressed the problem of crumbs. In microgravity, loose crumbs could float freely in the cabin, potentially interfering with sensitive equipment or becoming a dangerous inhalation hazard for the astronaut. Glenn’s successful consumption of these items proved that eating in microgravity was possible, paving the way for more complex space food systems in later missions.
The Science Behind Early Space Food
Early space food, like the type Glenn consumed, was the product of extensive research developed from military survival rations. The priority was safety and nutritional sustenance over flavor or texture. Scientists at the U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine and the Natick Army Labs worked to create palatable yet highly functional rations. The semi-liquid and gelatin-coated forms of food were meticulously designed to contain calories, nutrients, and moisture effectively, ensuring astronauts remained healthy and missions were not compromised by culinary debris.
Early Space Food vs. Modern ISS Cuisine
| Feature | Project Mercury (1962) | International Space Station (Today) |
|---|---|---|
| Food Form | Primarily purees in aluminum tubes and gelatin-coated cubes | Wide variety including freeze-dried, thermostabilized, and fresh foods |
| Preparation | Squeezed from tubes or rehydrated with cold water | Rehydrated with hot/cold water, warmed in specialized ovens |
| Variety | Extremely limited, designed for short-duration missions | Over 200 menu items, including snacks and custom meals |
| Palatability | Often described as bland and unappetizing by astronauts | Greatly improved, with astronauts choosing options and adding liquid spices |
| Fresh Items | None | Fresh fruits and vegetables, often delivered by resupply missions |
| Utensils | None, squeezed directly from tubes | Spoons, for use with special spoon-bowls |
The Evolution from Tubes to Trays
The unappealing nature of Mercury-era food was a key factor in its evolution. Astronauts often complained about the bland taste and poor texture of the pureed meals. In response, NASA’s food scientists continually innovated, with significant improvements arriving during the Gemini and Apollo programs. These included freeze-dried meals that could be reconstituted with water, solid-ish foods in flexible packaging, and the introduction of hot water, which made a huge difference in the palatability of meals.
By the time of the Skylab space station in 1973, space food had advanced considerably. With the luxury of onboard refrigeration and heating elements, astronauts enjoyed a more diverse and satisfying menu, including frozen desserts and thermostabilized cans. This was a far cry from Glenn’s historic, but decidedly un-culinary, first meal. The trajectory from Glenn’s applesauce tube to modern, chef-designed space meals illustrates a continuous effort to improve the quality of life for astronauts on long-duration missions.
Conclusion
John Glenn’s simple in-space menu of pureed beef and applesauce from a tube, along with malted milk tablets, was a necessary and successful scientific experiment, not a dining experience. His ability to eat in microgravity proved that the physiological process worked as it did on Earth, unlocking the door for longer spaceflights and a wider variety of foods. While his meal may seem unappealing by today's standards, it was a crucial step in the evolution of space food, which has progressed from survival rations to a consideration of astronaut morale and psychological well-being. Today, the culinary options in orbit bear little resemblance to Glenn's first orbital meal, but they all trace their lineage back to that initial, historic squeeze of applesauce.
Read more about the history of space food
National Air and Space Museum: What Really is Astronaut Food?
