{"id":513862,"date":"2026-04-05T07:55:21","date_gmt":"2026-04-05T07:55:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/513862\/"},"modified":"2026-04-05T07:55:21","modified_gmt":"2026-04-05T07:55:21","slug":"what-are-nasas-artemis-ii-astronauts-eating-58-tortillas-43-cups-of-coffee-and-a-lot-of-hot-sauce","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/513862\/","title":{"rendered":"What are NASA\u2019s Artemis II astronauts eating? 58 tortillas, 43 cups of coffee and a lot of hot sauce"},"content":{"rendered":"

April 3, 2026<\/p>\n

2 min read<\/p>\n

\"Google Add Us On GoogleAdd SciAm<\/a><\/p>\n

What are NASA\u2019s Artemis II astronauts eating? 58 tortillas, 43 cups of coffee and a lot of hot sauce<\/p>\n

The menu for NASA\u2019s moon mission has 189 unique items on it and mirrors that of the International Space Station<\/p>\n

By Jackie Flynn Mogensen<\/a> edited by Claire Cameron<\/a><\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen samples an Artemis II test space meal.<\/p>\n

Erika Peters\/Phil Sexton\/Rad Sinyak\/NASA<\/p>\n

NASA has launched four astronauts on a pioneering journey around the moon\u2014the Artemis II mission. Follow our coverage here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Dining in space<\/a> isn\u2019t exactly a Michelin Star experience, but it is exciting. The Artemis II mission<\/a> is no exception: the astronauts\u2019 menu includes foods such as macaroni and cheese, beef brisket, broccoli au gratin\u2014and 58 tortillas.<\/p>\n

In all, the four crew members\u2014Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Jeremy Hansen and Christina Koch\u2014have a selection of 189 different menu items<\/a> to choose from on their journey around the moon<\/a>. Tortillas are among the most popular astronaut foods\u2014in part because it\u2019s simply easy to fill them, fold them up and eat them without bits floating off<\/a> in the zero-g environment inside a spacecraft.<\/p>\n

On Friday the crew\u2019s breakfast menu included vegetable quiche, scrambled eggs, couscous with nuts, peaches and oatmeal. \u201cThere\u2019s even a muffin being enjoyed today,\u201d said NASA public affairs officer Leah Cheshier Mustachio in the agency\u2019s livestream coverage<\/a> of the mission. Coffee is also in high demand: NASA has allotted 43 cups of coffee for the crew\u2014a little more than 10 cups per astronaut across the 10-day mission.<\/p>\n

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Notably, the meals in this mission can be served warm thanks to a \u201cbriefcase-style\u201d food warmer\u2014the Apollo missions did not have this luxury.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

NASA\u2019s \u201cbriefcase-style\u201d food warmer.<\/p>\n

Erika Peters\/Phil Sexton\/Rad Sinyak\/NASA<\/p>\n

Aside from coffee, the astronauts have at least nine other beverage choices, including lemonade, green tea and apple cider, as well as chocolate, vanilla and strawberry \u201cbreakfast drinks.\u201d Each astronaut has two nonwater beverages allotted to them per day, according to NASA. There are also five varieties of hot sauce onboard and several desserts\u2014mostly cookies and chocolate.<\/p>\n

Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen also has five Canadian food products to remind him of home, according to<\/a> the Canadian Space Agency. These include wild keta salmon bites, shrimp curry, strawberry lavender superseed cereal, maple cream cookies\u2014and, yes, maple syrup.<\/p>\n

The crew had \u201cdirect input\u201d on the menu, including a series of taste tests, according to NASA. \u201cCrew members sample, evaluate, and rate all foods on the standard menu during preflight testing, and their preferences are balanced with nutritional requirements and what Orion can accommodate,\u201d the agency said.<\/p>\n

We’re looking to host the most interesting science conversations on the web for this topic.<\/p>\n

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