From BBQ to Smoothies: What’s on the menu for NASA’s Artemis II moon mission crew

NASA's ambitious Artemis 2 mission, which launched on April 1, is sending 4 astronauts on a historic 10-day journey around the Moon aboard the Orion spacecraft. The menu items were personally selected and taste-tested by the 4 astronauts - Commander Reid Wilson, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch and Canada's Jeremy Hansen - before the launch.

"Food selections are developed in coordination with space food experts and the crew to balance calorie needs, hydration, and nutrition intake while accommodating individual crew preferences," NASA's statement on Artemis 2 menu read. The astronauts will get a total of 189 packaged and rehydratable food and beverage items inside the spacecraft. 

All the food items have to meet one rule: no crumbs in zero gravity. From barbecued beef brisket and mac and cheese to mango-peach smoothies and 5 different hot sauces, here's what the rich menu aboard Orion looks like.

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What is the menu for Artemis 2 astronauts?

How will the crew prepare meals? 

As per NASA, the crew will use Orion's potable water dispenser to rehydrate foods and beverages and a compact, briefcase-style food warmer to heat meals as needed. 

How are menus tailored for different mission phases? 

Food menus are tailored based on the spacecraft's food capabilities during each phase of the flight - launch, transit and re-entry. 

• Foods such as freeze-dried meals, which require hydration using Orion's potable dispenser, are not available during phases like launch and landing
• Foods selected for these 2 phases should be ready-to-eat and compatible with the spacecraft's operational constraints

How many flavoured beverages can astronauts have in a day?

Apart from the food, astronauts can have up to two flavoured beverages in a day, which could include coffee. 

How do these menus differ from Apollo, space shuttle and International Space Station missions? 

Artemis 2 menus reflect advancements in space food systems. In contrast, Apollo missions relied on early food technologies with limited variety, whereas the space shuttle missions offer expanded menu options and onboard preparation. 

The ISS, on the other hand, benefits from regular resupply and occasional fresh foods. Artemis 2 uses a fixed, pre-selected menu designed for a self-contained space with no resupply.