Freeze-dried mac and cheese?

It's what's for

dinner in outer space
By Washington Post, adapted by Newsela staff on 11.26.18
Word Count 630
Level 640L

Image 1. NASA astronaut Scott Kelly corrals the supply of fresh fruit that arrived on the Kounotori 5 H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV-5.) August
25, 2015, in space. Photo by: NASA

When Neil Armstrong landed on the moon in 1969, he said some famous words: "That's one small
step for man, one giant leap for mankind."

Armstrong was the first man on the moon. But John Glenn took the first slurp of applesauce for
mankind.

At one time, NASA scientists weren't sure humans could eat food in space. They thought people
needed gravity to eat. The problem is there is no gravity in space.

In 1962, they found out they were wrong. Glenn orbited the Earth and ate his snack with no
trouble. Today's astronauts sometimes spend months living in the International Space Station
(ISS). It orbits about 200 miles above Earth. Astronauts from around the world live on the space
station. They run experiments to learn more about outer space.

Astronauts would get pretty hungry without a few snacks!

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com.

Of course, the human body still needs food in space. Cooking and eating food there is very
different from back home. That's why NASA scientists work hard to feed astronauts. A healthy diet
is important for astronauts. Spending time in space is tough on the body. It starts to lose bone and
muscle.

Astronauts Need A Variety Of Choices

NASA has to send food up in a rocket. The food has to be stored for as long as possible. It also
must be healthy. It also has to be interesting enough to keep astronauts from getting bored!

"Imagine trying to eat the same food for every meal

for six months. You may get tired of the food," said F.
Ryan Dowdy. He is in charge of food for the ISS. He
works at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston,
Texas.

If you're bored, you may eat less than your body

needs. That's why NASA makes sure astronauts have a
choice.

Astronauts have about 200 food items to pick from.

Many of them are similar to meals we eat on Earth,
Dowdy said.

The food reminds them of home, and that's important, he said. Space can be stressful. Food can
comfort them.

Space Food Must Be Long-Lasting

Food often has to sit in storage for six months before it even goes into space. Then it has to last for
weeks or months. NASA designs everything to last at least two years. Macaroni and cheese is
freeze-dried. Most of the moisture is removed. It becomes safe to store at room temperature.
Astronauts add hot water to the mac and cheese on the space station. Chocolate pudding cake
comes in pouches.

Some Earth foods already work well. Tortillas are a great alternative to bread. They last a long
time. Also, they don't make crumbs that float around and can get caught in important parts of the
ship. Astronauts get some fresh fruits and vegetables when NASA sends supplies up. For the most
part though, they're eating stored foods.

NASA is hoping to send missions to Mars, and perhaps even farther. It takes about eight months to
get there. Astronauts will have to bring food to return home, too. Dowdy says NASA is working to
make foods last around five years. Space farming is also part of the plan.

Astronauts on the ISS are able to grow plants such as lettuce. Still, it will be a while before
astronauts can live on what they grow. Dowdy thinks they may have 3-D printed treats by then. A
3-D printer reads a design from a computer program. It makes an object from the bottom up.

One thing is for sure. It's going to take a lot of science to feed the space explorers of the future.

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com.

Quiz

1 Select the sentence that summarizes the article.

(A) Once John Glenn snacked on applesauce in space, NASA scientists realized that astronauts could eat
other Earth foods such as tortillas on the space station.

(B) Ever since NASA scientists learned astronauts could eat in space, they have been working to make
healthy and long-lasting foods astronauts will like.

(C) Diets with fruits and vegetables are important for astronauts working on the space station because their
bodies lose bone and muscle in space.

(D) Astronauts could have printed treats from 3-D printers that read a design from a computer program and
make an object from the bottom up.

2 Read the following paragraph from the section "Space Food Must Be Long-Lasting."

NASA is hoping to send missions to Mars, and perhaps even farther. It takes about eight months
to get there. Astronauts will have to bring food to return home, too. Dowdy says NASA is working
to make foods last around five years. Space farming is also part of the plan.

How does this paragraph support the MAIN idea of the article?

(A) It explains why scientists are working on new ways to make food for astronauts.

(B) It describes the length of time it takes for astronauts to get to Mars and back.

(C) It introduces the methods that are used by astronauts for space farming.

(D) It provides clues about what kinds of foods most astronauts say they like best.

3 Why does F. Ryan Dowdy think space food should be similar to food astronauts eat on Earth?

(A) It can show them how to farm the foods in space.

(B) It can remind them of home and comfort them.

(C) It has to be copied and created by a 3-D printer.

(D) It has to be food that they can eat without gravity.

4 How does NASA make food last a long time on the space station?

(A) It sends special refrigerators into space with the astronauts.

(B) It sends fresh fruits and vegetables for most of the meals.

(C) It removes moisture from the food and packs it in pouches.

(D) It removes treats like cheese and cake from the space station.

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com.

Answer Key

1 Select the sentence that summarizes the article.

(A) Once John Glenn snacked on applesauce in space, NASA scientists realized that astronauts could eat
other Earth foods such as tortillas on the space station.

(B) Ever since NASA scientists learned astronauts could eat in space, they have been working to
make healthy and long-lasting foods astronauts will like.

(C) Diets with fruits and vegetables are important for astronauts working on the space station because their
bodies lose bone and muscle in space.

(D) Astronauts could have printed treats from 3-D printers that read a design from a computer program and
make an object from the bottom up.

2 Read the following paragraph from the section "Space Food Must Be Long-Lasting."

NASA is hoping to send missions to Mars, and perhaps even farther. It takes about eight months
to get there. Astronauts will have to bring food to return home, too. Dowdy says NASA is working
to make foods last around five years. Space farming is also part of the plan.

How does this paragraph support the MAIN idea of the article?

(A) It explains why scientists are working on new ways to make food for astronauts.

(B) It describes the length of time it takes for astronauts to get to Mars and back.

(C) It introduces the methods that are used by astronauts for space farming.

(D) It provides clues about what kinds of foods most astronauts say they like best.

3 Why does F. Ryan Dowdy think space food should be similar to food astronauts eat on Earth?

(A) It can show them how to farm the foods in space.

(B) It can remind them of home and comfort them.

(C) It has to be copied and created by a 3-D printer.

(D) It has to be food that they can eat without gravity.

4 How does NASA make food last a long time on the space station?

(A) It sends special refrigerators into space with the astronauts.

(B) It sends fresh fruits and vegetables for most of the meals.

(C) It removes moisture from the food and packs it in pouches.

(D) It removes treats like cheese and cake from the space station.

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com.