NASA has revealed the menu that will sustain the four astronauts on Artemis 2, the first crewed mission to the moon since Apollo 17 in 1972. The 10-day expedition will feature 189 carefully selected food items, chosen to meet the demands of space travel.
The menu includes five types of hot sauce and more than ten beverages, such as lemonade, apple cider, and vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry breakfast drinks. There is enough coffee on board for approximately 43 cups, allowing each crew member more than one cup per day.
With no refrigeration or resupply available, all meals must be safe, shelf-stable, and easy to prepare in Orion. While fresh foods are limited, the crew will enjoy butternut squash, blueberries, and mango salad. Barbecued beef brisket will be dehydrated, and 58 tortillas, spicy mustard, strawberry jam, and almond butter are also on the list.
Food selections were developed with space food experts and crew input, balancing calorie needs, hydration, and nutrition while accommodating individual preferences. Every gram of weight matters, and Orion's galley is basic: food is either ready-to-eat, rehydratable, thermostabilised, or irradiated, with a water dispenser and a compact food warmer for heating meals.
Artemis 2 is now scheduled to launch on April 1 after an earlier date was rescheduled. The crew comprises NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, alongside Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen.
