By the 1960s,NASAachieved an extraordinary technological feat by sending men into space. Yet one deceptively simple aspect of space travel took several more years to perfect: thefood. Today mostspace foodlooks a lot like food here on the ground. What started out as tasteless paste squeezed out of a toothpastelike tube has come a long way from space exploration's early days. Astronauts are even getting treated to gourmet meals designed by celebrity chefs.
但太空食品是什么?一个典型的空间菜单是马de up of a lot of the same items found in homes and restaurants here onEarth. It might include foods such as:
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The biggest differences between space food and regular food are in the packaging and design. Space food must be carefully contained so it doesn't float around in the low-gravity (microgravity) environment. Even something as simple as a few crumbs can become deadly in low gravity. Loose pieces of food can become lodged inshuttlevents or can waft into an astronaut's nose or mouth and pose a choking or breathing hazard. Liquids can float away as well, so drinks likecoffee, orange juice, apple cider andteaare packaged as powders. Astronauts addwaterto the contained drinks to rehydrate them.
So how has space food transformed over the years? What are the challenges of transporting, cooking and disposing of food beyond the Earth's surface? Find out on the next page.
