Creating high-quality, nutritious food for astronauts is an extremely responsible and complex matter. It was this question that became one of the main problems after the first manned space flight. After all, it was already calculated that in order to maintain the necessary form and healthy image During their flight life, women should consume at least 2800 kilocalories, and men - 3200.
Initially, it was planned to create special tablets containing essential vitamins, minerals and nutrients. But these ideas were never put into practice, although worthy alternatives were developed over the years.
First options when creating food for astronauts
Just like the space industry itself, the astronaut nutrition industry has undergone many changes over the decades. There were special departments and services that were involved in developing food for workers in the difficult conditions of outer space. And all this time ordinary people I was wondering how this happens and what the astronauts eat in orbit.
During the first flights, no special manipulations were required in terms of feeding the astronauts - the flights were not too long, so it was only necessary to provide people with the optimal amount of calories and vitamins. They were given specially designed tubes with homogenized first and second courses.
After a longer stay in space, ideas began to be developed for more effective and high-quality nutrition for people, which continued for decades. It was immediately recognized that food for astronauts should be as nutritious and healthy as possible, have a unique consistency and be stored for a long time.
Optimal diet and convenient transportation of space food
The first thing the developers did was compile a complete diet for space workers. Experts have calculated that in the extreme conditions of space flight, eating must be done 4 times a day, and the interval between them must be at least five hours. In addition, daily food products must include:
- 300 grams of carbohydrates;
- 100 g protein;
- 118 g fat;
- the required amount of vitamins and minerals.
After developing the menu, the question arose about the most efficient way to transport food. Then convenient aluminum tubes appeared, in which first and second courses, as well as drinks, were packaged in the form of puree. The weight of each tube was standard 160-165 grams.
Thus, the issue of preserving the nutritional value of products, their compactness and shelf life was resolved. It was equally important to monitor the sterility of food. In addition, food had to be digested as quickly as possible and, accordingly, leave a minimum of toxins.
A modern approach to space nutrition
Over time, another method of providing nutrition to astronauts while in space was introduced. Finished products are frozen and then abruptly dried at very high temperatures. high temperature. This way the ice immediately turns into a vapor state without turning into a liquid. Food becomes much lighter in weight without losing nutrients.
Such food began to be packaged in plastic, and dishes that remained in a semi-liquid or puree state were packaged in special aluminum jars. And although there has been a list of permitted products and a special menu approved by experts for many years, they try to make the stay of astronauts on long business trips as comfortable as possible.
Therefore, in addition to standard dishes, they are trying to diversify the space menu in every possible way, including national dishes and even the favorite culinary delights of astronauts.
And here is an example of the diet of an astronaut on the ISS from current cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev
"Bon appetit!" or How astronauts eat on the station
Today I would like to talk about nutrition, food, or, as it officially sounds, about the nutrition system for astronauts and cosmonauts. What are we eating? This is one of the most popular questions. Probably everyone is interested in how do astronauts eat and feed themselves during the flight? In general, exactly the same as on Earth. Spoon, fork, food. We put food in our mouth, chew it, swallow it... Features are in the packaging and how it is all organized. It is clear that the era of tubes has long passed, and now only mustard is supplied in tubes. And all products come in several forms. The first is tin cans. Canned food, they are canned in space too. They are practically no different, the same as on Earth. The second is freeze-dried products. That is, foods that require diluting with water before eating. This takes time: 10, 15, or maybe 20 minutes for them to take on their original consistency. These can be both first courses and second courses, as well as juices, fruits, in general, almost everything. Most of products are now supplied in exactly this form, in the form of sublimates. It is clear that there are both pros and cons to this, but more on that later. The next form in which products can be supplied is regular factory packaging. The same candies. What on Earth is the candy “Bear Clubfoot”, what is here “Bear Clubfoot”. In its original form, so to speak.
Now I'll tell you about general principle catering. It is clear that each person has his own tastes. He likes something, he prefers something from food, he doesn’t like to eat something, he likes to drink something, he doesn’t like to drink something. There are no two identical people (and therefore no two identical astronauts). Therefore, in the process of evolution of space nutrition there were several stages.
There was a stage when a menu and diet were prepared individually for everyone, but this turned out to be not very effective, and they switched to another system - a system of dietary standards. That is, they took products that were liked by the majority (with an accuracy of 70-80%), where everyone will find something tasty for themselves in this 16-day diet. This means that for one person for 16 days - a standard set of products. Those 20% who didn’t like something just compensate for the “gap” with additional food sets, which are formed from the preferences of the astronauts before the flight. Such additional food rations - one container per month. That is, before the flight, each of us filled out the appropriate questionnaire and chose what we would like to get from the “non-standard” food. Suppose, if I prefer a cake with nuts, and I know that I will not eat processed cheese or some other product there, then I take into this additional diet those products that I want, and, accordingly, those that I I didn’t eat it, it ends up on the common table, and if it turns out that none of my colleagues like it, then it’s thrown away. Quite a lot is thrown away. In principle, those same 20-25% of food go to the abyss.
Then there are additional supplies, they are called industrial. They started appearing not so long ago (they weren’t there on my last flight). These are products from the store. Directly from the store, both purchased and delivered. The only condition is that they must be stored long time without a refrigerator in conditions environment. This includes seasonings, candies, nuts, drinks, yoghurts, dairy products, dried meat, and fish - everything you like. This greatly diversifies the table and helps maintain appetite - it is not only a replenishment of energy in the body, refueling it, but also a certain psychological phenomenon that helps brighten up life at the station.
During the expedition, astronauts treat food as a cult. That is, everyone gets together, eats and communicates at the same time. We try to eat leisurely in order to somehow diversify our life. In addition, there is its own food system in the American segment. It is somewhat similar to ours. There are no canned goods, but plastic bags. The assortment is different from ours. A little, but different. It is also built on the principle of standard power supply, but arranged a little differently and used a little differently. They have a buffet system, we have an a la carte system. Although formally we also eat according to the buffet system. We open the container, and it says to eat this and that for breakfast, eat this and that for lunch, and “destroy” the first, second, and third things for dinner. But no one ever follows this menu. Because it’s impossible to eat the way it’s written there.
What's really going on? Everyone is instructed to open the container for 16 days. One set of containers is opened for three people for about 5-6 days, and everyone eats from the same thing together. Basically, they pick out who likes what and who doesn’t like what. After 5 days, the next container opens. In another 5 - the next one. That's how it goes. That is, we eat according to the buffet system. Whatever my soul wanted, I opened from what was left there and ate as much as I wanted. That is, in principle, the goal is achieved - everything is eaten at the set time, food consumption in the crew corresponds to the calculated one. I return to the fact that, although we are divided into segments (that is, Russians should eat only Russian food, and Americans should eat American food), of course, we cannot allow this to happen. Going mutual exchange food. This happens during joint meals. For example, one day all six of us eat Russian food at the Russian segment, on another day we have dinner at the American one and, naturally, we all eat together American food, we drink water, drinks and so on. What we have left, what we don’t like or even love - we are happy to share this with each other. Everyone especially likes cottage cheese with nuts. It is with great pleasure that we treat our colleagues to food, and they do the same. This fulfills the most important requirement for space food - diversity. Whichever delicious food It wasn’t, if they feed you this for several months, you will clearly hate this food. Many people ask: “Does your taste change in space?” No, tastes don't change. Preferences just change. By the way, during a tasting on earth, you are asked: “What do you like most?” They offer a wide range. I say that I really like stewed meat with side dishes. And most of all they give me this stew. I eat it for a month, two, three. And after a couple of months I can no longer eat it. Damn it all into the abyss. Throw it away or let someone else eat it. Have tastes changed? No, preferences have changed. The main condition, I repeat, is diversity. The more variety of food, the better. Therefore nothing changes. Everything is the same as on Earth. Food should be tasty, healthy and varied. That's it! Enjoy your meal!
What astronauts eat during space travel is of great interest to many of us. In fact: what will astronauts eat, what food is most acceptable and appropriate for them, what will the process of eating food and water in space be like?
Scientists working in the field of nutrition are improving rational diets for astronauts. The challenge is to create products that occupy as much space as possible less space, weighed little and at the same time were high-calorie, convenient to eat and tasty.
It is calculated, for example, that the weight of the daily ration of food, water and oxygen per person in space is approximately 5.5 kilograms. The duration of an interplanetary journey can vary from several days to several years.
It is quite obvious that short-term and long-term space flights require fundamentally various methods catering for astronauts.
How do astronauts eat?
It is clear that food should be as nutritious as possible, easily digestible and at the same time portable, light and ready to eat. The question inevitably arises here: how to ensure food intake for a person in a state of weightlessness? What's in normal conditions seems to be a simple and natural matter, something we never think about, in the cockpit of a spaceship it turns into a very complex, almost fantastic problem. Try, for example, drinking water if it doesn’t flow at all. Or swallow a piece of bread that gets stuck in the mouth and, despite all efforts, does not pass into the esophagus.
In conditions of weightlessness, water, and any other liquid, behaves very peculiarly. Without weight, it easily slips out of the container and floats in the air, breaking up into small balls, since surface tension remains the only force connecting water molecules to each other.
Drops of liquid floating in the air are dangerous for humans, since they can enter into the air with the flow of air. Airways, and he may choke. Dry food products can behave no less insidiously. Such food will be sprayed in the mouth, its particles will penetrate the respiratory tract and lungs. This will cause best case scenario cough, and at worst - inflammatory process in the lungs.
There is no need to list all the surprises and troubles that an astronaut may encounter during such a seemingly simple process as eating and drinking.
Eating algae in space
A more complex problem is the organization of human nutrition during long flights, when it is impossible to take the food and water supplies necessary for the entire journey from Earth. In these cases, you have to look for another way out. And it consists in creating the food necessary for astronauts on the spacecraft itself.
Scientific development of such a serious problem can proceed in several directions. The most effective should be considered the ways proposed by our wonderful compatriot K. E. Tsiolkovsky: using some terrestrial plants with high productivity in space flights.
The use of some algae, especially chlorella, is very promising. Algae are unusually hardy and reproduce very quickly. Some of them, under favorable conditions, can increase their weight by 7-12 times per day.
This is explained there that algae absorb solar energy better than other plants. To increase their weight, algae use at least 7 percent of the sun's energy, while most terrestrial plants use less than a percent. There is one more, extremely important feature some algae: in the process of life they create, synthesize into large quantities proteins, fats, carbohydrates and vitamins.
But the main property of algae is that they can quite fully utilize substances secreted by humans and animals. Consequently, in the spacecraft, the purification of excretory products and the creation of necessary for a person food.
Drinking water in space
In space flight conditions, the problem of providing humans with water is also very difficult. It is known that “water hunger” within a week already poses a danger to life, since the unreplenished loss by the body of 10-11 percent of the water contained in it can lead to death.
Water is necessary equally for humans, animals and plants. It is not only a solvent of the most important chemical substances, circulating with blood through the cells of the body, is not only a solvent for waste products released from the body, but also the most important plastic substance included in the structure of every living cell.
At the same time, water metabolism is continuously regulated in a living organism, due to which the amount of water in the body always remains relatively constant.
A person's daily need for drinking water is about 2 liters; in addition, it is part of food and is also used for hygienic purposes. Thus, even according to the most conservative estimates, a person needs about 4 liters of water per day.
For a space trip lasting 6 months, a two-person crew of an interplanetary spacecraft will need about 1,500 liters of water. This amount of water is too large not only in weight, but, very importantly, in volume. How can we solve the water problem? The same as food. The water the astronauts need must be obtained on the ship itself. This can only be done if the water is reused.
On average, an adult excretes about 2.5 liters of water per day. Properly processed and purified, it can be absolutely complete and suitable for consumption. Creation special systems to implement the water cycle in the cabin of a spacecraft is a very real and feasible matter.
Previously, the astronaut did not take off his spacesuit throughout the entire flight. Now in Everyday life he wears a T-shirt with shorts or overalls. T-shirts in orbit in six colors to choose from depending on your mood. Instead of buttons there are zippers and Velcro: they won’t come off. The more pockets the better. Oblique breastplates allow you to quickly hide objects so that they do not fly apart in zero gravity. Wide calf pockets are useful because astronauts often assume the fetal position. Instead of shoes, thick socks are worn.
Toilet
The first astronauts wore diapers. They are still used now, but only when entering open space and during takeoff and landing. A waste disposal system began to be developed at the dawn of astronautics. The toilet operates on the principle of a vacuum cleaner. The rarefied air flow sucks in the waste, and it ends up in a bag, which is then unfastened and thrown into the container. Another takes his place. Filled containers are sent into outer space - they burn up in the atmosphere. At the Mir station, liquid waste was purified and turned into drinking water. For body hygiene, wet wipes and towels are used. Although “shower cabins” have also been developed.
Food
Tubes of food have become a symbol of the space lifestyle. They began to be made in Estonia in the 1960s. Squeezing from tubes, the astronauts ate chicken fillet, beef tongue and even borscht. In the 80s, sublimated products began to be delivered into orbit - up to 98% of the water was removed from them, which significantly reduces mass and volume. Pour into a bag with dry mixture hot water- and lunch is ready. They also eat canned food on the ISS. The bread is packaged in small bite-sized loaves to prevent crumbs from scattering throughout the compartment: this is fraught with problems. The kitchen table has holders for containers and utensils. A “suitcase” is also used to heat food.
Cabin
In zero gravity, it doesn’t matter where you sleep, the main thing is to securely fix your body. On the ISS, sleeping bags with zippers are attached directly to the walls. By the way, in the cabins of Russian cosmonauts there are portholes that allow you to admire the view of the Earth before going to bed. But Americans don’t have “windows”. The cabin contains personal belongings, photos of relatives, and music players. All small objects (tools, pencils, etc.) are either slipped under special rubber bands on the walls or secured with Velcro. For this purpose, the walls of the ISS are covered with fleecy material. There are also many handrails at the station.
A COMMENT
Vladimir Solovyov, flight director of the Russian segment of the ISS:
- The life of astronauts has improved significantly. There is Internet on board the ISS, the ability to send messages and read news. Communication tools make it possible to connect astronauts with their family and friends by telephone. There is always a lot of food at the station. Moreover, the astronauts choose their own menu.
You can make borscht, mashed potatoes, and pasta from freeze-dried products. The only thing left in the tubes now is juice and a small nutrition kit used on the approach to the station.
With every cargo ship we also send fresh food. Astronauts live full lives. The only thing that bothers me is the noise of the fans. They work all the time, but you can’t live without them.
