The University of Adelaide developed a new computational model that predicted the best diet and meal that is fit for an astronaut's daily meal, particularly when they are out on missions in orbit or deep space. The goal is to provide the space personnel with the right and proper meals, via a "Space Salad," that would keep them healthy and stuffed while being away from home.
Astronauts sacrifice a lot for their tasks and missions in space, including the home-cooked meals or gourmet dishes they used to enjoy back on the planet.
'Space Salad' Developed by Researchers for Astronauts
People in different parts of the world have different diets to fit their lifestyles and the conditions in which they live, to help keep them up with their daily tasks. It is the same thing for astronauts, as they live off the world and their needs are different compared to people here on Earth.
According to a release from the University of Adelaide, Professor Volker Hessel, Research Director of the Andy Thomas Centre for Space Resources, and one of the project leads said that We have simulated a mix of six to eight crops that deliver all the required nutrients that an astronaut needs, which is different from what people need on Earth."
Hessel and the team based their recent study on an old NASA research regarding the proper diet for astronauts, their food system specifically designed for long-duration missions.
Through the new computational method the team developed, it managed to create the fitting "space salad" which they could source while on the mission, and it proved to be a tasty mix of ingredients as per its initial control groups.
Keeping Astronauts Health and Stuffed on Missions
"While there are dozens of crops that can fulfil an astronaut's nutrient requirements, we needed to find those that could pack a punch and deliver the calories needed in smaller portions that could be grown in a small space," Hessel added.
The new space salad will be applicable for missions in orbit and for long-duration ones, including a future venture toward deep space.
Astronauts and What They Eat in Space
Certain astronauts join the missions towards the ISS to help cultivate plant life in the floating space station and grow it in space. There was a previous report on which fruits were the first to be grown outside the planet, one that would live in a controlled environment where everything it needs for photosynthesis is right inside its vessels.
Growing food in space is an alternative and sustainable way to get supplies and ingredients they need to prepare themselves a meal that would be enough for their needs.
There was one time in the ISS when the astronauts created space tacos, using hatch chile peppers which they grew inside the orbiting pod.
Still, there are pre-packed meals that are delivered to the space station for their everyday meals and sustenance, one that would suffice their cravings and bring nutrients for their health needs.
Now, a team aims to supply them with a new diet, centering on the Space Salad that would give them the proper sustenance they need, all while being fresh and healthy to fill them during missions.
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