What was man's first meal in space?

Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin was the first person to eat in space in 1961, eating pureed food in a tube.

Yuri Gagarin was the first person to eat in space. Photo: IFL Science

The first meal in space took place during mankind's first orbital flight in 1961. At that time, astronaut Yuri Gagarin became the first person to fly into space, completing a flight around the Earth in 108 minutes.

Gagarin's Vostok 1 capsule was packed with 13 days of supplies, in case the retrorocket (which slowed the spacecraft) failed and the spacecraft had to wait for a natural descent to return to Earth. This was also a good opportunity to experiment with space dining.

Despite tests conducted on the "Vomit Comet" aircraft on Earth, scientists are still not sure whether basic functions such as chewing and swallowing can be performed in microgravity. One important thing to note is "no crumbs", so the solution is foods that can be made into a paste and placed in a metal tube similar to a toothpaste tube.

Although he had been in orbit for less than two hours, Gagarin managed to enjoy a few dishes. The main course was ground beef and liver. Gagarin ate two tubes of these, then had another tube of chocolate sauce for dessert.

At the time, scientists were not sure what microgravity would do to humans. They didn’t want to take any chances, so the spacecraft was controlled from the ground with a code that would switch to manual control only in case of emergency, including digestive problems. But with the first meal in orbit, Gagarin proved that eating in space was possible.

As more astronauts fly into space and stay longer, scientists are learning more about the effects of microgravity on humans. They are noticing that our sense of taste can change. Body fluids move toward the head, and studies have shown that this can lead to a reduction in the olfactory elements of food taste, much like eating when you have a cold.

Since Gagarin, the diet of astronauts in orbit has improved. Not only can they deliver pizza to the International Space Station (ISS), but they can also bake cookies. They can also drink coffee from a special cup designed for drinking in microgravity.

Scientists have even experimented with frying food in microgravity. Careful tests using a special air fryer that simulates weightlessness have proven that deep frying in microgravity is possible with the right equipment. However, the “no crumbs” rule remains a challenge.

Thu Thao (According to IFL Science )

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