How Hot Dogs Made It To Space

In a bid to diversify the menu options for astronauts, hot dogs made their way to space, offering a taste of Earthly comfort far from home. The journey of hot dogs to space began with rigorous testing to ensure that they met the strict requirements of space food. These requirements include considerations for weight, packaging, shelf life, and the challenges of microgravity, which affects how food behaves and how astronauts consume it. Food scientists and engineers worked diligently to adapt hot dogs, ensuring they were safe and enjoyable to eat in the unique conditions of space. They focused on packaging them in vacuum-sealed containers to prevent spoilage and designed them to be easily handled in a zero-gravity environment. Astronauts, who often crave the familiar tastes of home, welcomed the addition of hot dogs to their menu, finding comfort in their nostalgic flavor. This culinary innovation not only provided a morale boost but also demonstrated the potential for a wider range of foods to be adapted for space travel. The successful inclusion of hot dogs in space missions highlights the ongoing efforts to improve the quality and variety of food available to astronauts, enhancing their overall well-being during their time away from Earth.
Advertisement

The science of astronaut food

The dehydrated "astronaut food" that NASA sends with its astronauts is often considered unappetizing, and there's a good reason for that. Food prepared for space travel must be lightweight and nonperishable, and dehydration is a common method to further reduce its weight. Since hot dogs can't easily be turned into a powdery form, Apollo 11 opted to pack them in thermostabilized wet packs, along with other meals like turkey with gravy and beef and chicken potato stews. Today, NASA also employs specialized zero-gravity drinking cups to help astronauts drink their coffee safely.

Interestingly, Apollo 11 wasn't the last mission where astronauts enjoyed hot dogs in space. During the challenging Apollo 13 mission in 1970, a lighter moment captured in NASA's official flight journal featured crew member Jim Lovell humorously referring to his hot dog as a sandwich. Given that it lacked the traditional bun, it may have resembled a rather flat frankfurter. Lovell also expressed regret for topping his hot dog with ketchup instead of the mustard that NASA had planned for — a choice that would likely be deemed unacceptable by Chicagoans.

Recommended

Next up

Advertisement