Dining in Deep Space: What the Artemis II Crew Actually Eats
Floating halfway between the Moon and Earth, the four-person crew of Artemis II is tackling a mission profile unlike anything we have seen in decades. They are currently navigating a 10-day journey in a self-contained environment, which means no resupply runs and certainly no fresh grocery deliveries. While astronauts on the International Space Station enjoy a bit more variety thanks to regular cargo ships, the Artemis II team is working with a strictly preselected menu. It is a precise logistical puzzle that prioritizes weight, stability, and the complete lack of refrigeration, forcing a massive shift from the dehydrated, often lamented rations of the historic Apollo missions.
Gone are the days when Apollo 8 Commander Frank Borman famously dubbed his food “unappetizing.” Today’s space fare is remarkably sophisticated, yet the constraints remain rigid. To qualify for the flight, every item must be shelf-stable and engineered specifically for microgravity. Crumbs are the enemy in a pressurized cabin, so everything—from the tortillas and flatbread to the brisket and cauliflower macaroni and cheese—must stay intact during consumption. It is a peculiar way to live, but for the Artemis II crew, the menu is surprisingly familiar despite the vacuum of space just inches away from their hull.
Honestly, the level of choice is quite impressive.
The Orion spacecraft is stocked with 189 unique food items tailored to the crew’s own preferences. Before launch, the astronauts spent months sampling and rating different meals, ensuring their personal tastes were balanced against the strict nutritional requirements mandated by NASA. “The Artemis II crew has direct input into menu selection,” the agency noted, explaining how food is packed into containers holding two to three days of supplies at a time. Even with this customization, limitations exist; for instance, the team is restricted to only two flavored beverages per day, such as coffee, green tea, or fruit juice, to manage strict weight thresholds.
Perhaps the most surprising part of the experience is that the food actually tastes like, well, food. Many expected the sensory shift to be drastic, but Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen reported that his experience hasn’t lived up to the negative rumors regarding space-altered taste buds. “For me so far, I haven’t really noticed much change, although I was expecting to notice it more,” Hansen said. He even found a small comfort in his rations, noting that he particularly enjoyed some maple biscuits during the mission’s first day. It’s a small, sweet reminder of home during a high-stakes journey into the deep unknown.