Kamal Ghorui
As Nasa’s Artemis II mission launches, the astronauts have brought along a carefully curated stockpile of food designed to keep them healthy, full and energized throughout their journey around the Moon. Ever wondered what the crew is eating as they make history, venturing beyond Earth orbit for the first time since 1972?The meals aboard Artemis II are not just ordinary space food, they are meticulously planned to support crew health, nutrition and performance in a spacecraft with no resupply, refrigeration or last-minute loading capability. Each item is selected to remain safe, shelf-stable, and easy to prepare and consume inside Nasa’s Orion spacecraft.
How Nasa designs food for Artemis II
Food systems for Artemis II are developed in close collaboration with space food experts and the astronauts themselves. Every meal balances calorie needs, hydration, and nutrient intake while taking crew preferences into account.Key considerations include:
- Shelf life and food safety
- Nutritional value and hydration
- Compatibility with Orion’s mass, volume and power limits
- Ease of consumption in microgravity, minimizing crumbs and debris
Crew members tested and rated menu items well before launch to ensure each astronaut’s preferences were incorporated into the final selection.
A day in the life of an Artemis II meal
On a typical mission day, astronauts have scheduled times for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Each crew member can enjoy two flavored beverages daily, including coffee. Due to upmass constraints, beverage options are limited and fresh foods are not included because Orion lacks refrigeration.Shelf-stable meals reduce risks from crumbs or spoilage and ensure quality throughout the mission.Menus are also tailored to mission phases. Certain foods, like freeze-dried meals, require rehydration using Orion’s potable water dispenser, which is unavailable during launch and re-entry. Ready-to-eat options are used during these critical phases, while a broader menu is available once full preparation systems are online
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Artemis II food: what’s on the menu?
189 unique menu items travel with the crew, including:
- Beverages: Coffee, Green Tea, Mango-Peach Smoothie, Chocolate Breakfast Drink, Vanilla Breakfast Drink, Lemonade, Apple Cider, Pineapple Drink, Cocoa, Strawberry Breakfast Drink
- Common food items: Tortillas, Wheat Flat Bread, Vegetable Quiche, Breakfast Sausage, Couscous with Nuts, Mango Salad, Granola with Blueberries, Almonds, Cashews, Barbecued Beef Brisket, Broccoli au Gratin, Spicy Green Beans, Macaroni & Cheese, Tropical Fruit Salad, Butternut Squash, Cauliflower
- Spice and flavor: Five hot sauces accompany the crew, along with culinary flavorings like Maple Syrup, Chocolate Spread, Peanut Butter, Hot Sauce, Spicy Mustard, Strawberry Jam, Honey, Cinnamon, and Almond Butter
- Coffee needs: 43 cups are needed to power the Artemis II crew during their mission
- Sweet tooth: Cookies, chocolate, cake, candy-coated almonds, cobbler and pudding keep the astronauts satisfied
- Specials: Five Canadian products and 58 tortillas are included in the menu
Nasa’s Artemis II mission, launched on April 1, is humanity’s first crewed flight beyond low-Earth orbit since Apollo 17 in 1972. The 10-day mission tests Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System (SLS) systems, setting the stage for sustainable lunar exploration and eventual Mars missions.
Why Artemis II is more than a mission
Artemis II is not just a test flight; it is a rehearsal for the return of humans to the Moon, future lunar bases, resource utilization, and Mars exploration. As Commander Reid Wiseman said before launch, “We’re going back to stay.”The food, the mission planning and every system aboard Orion are part of this historic step toward humanity’s multiplanetary future.
