Mars Food Study Researchers Share Exciting Experience

By: Zain Nabi  |   August 16th, 2013   |   Living, News

In Honolulu six researchers were selected from University of Hawaii and Cornell University who were asked to spend four months in a small dome for the NASA-funded study on a barren Hawaii lava field at an elevation of 8,000 feet. They were asked to figure out the food of astronauts that they might eat when they were on Mars and also during the missions of deep-space.

 

The six researchers were asked to emerge last Tuesday with all of their recipes, but they were not allowed to take their space suits with them which they wear every time they are asked to venture onto the northern slope of Mauna Loa.

 

“It’s a moment I’m going to remember for the rest of my life,” said Oleg Abramov, a research space scientist at the U.S. Geological Survey Astrogeology branch in Flagstaff, Ariz. “Walking out … experiencing the sunshine and wind on our faces.”

 

The researchers were asked to prepare a list of foods that they can be use for months. It was a two-storey dome in which members are asked to live. The dome contained a small sleeping quarter with an exercise room and a kitchen in which they had to cook food astronauts might need on Mars and also meals for themselves.

 

There are a number of ingredients that are not perishable due to which the researchers might feel difficulty at Mars, said Team commander Angelo Vermeulen. He said the way researchers freeze dried products are very impressive.

 

But for this mission the food that is necessary is comfort food, he said. All the crew members like the foods that are easy to use, such as Nutella, the chocolate-hazelnut spread. “It’s something we craved,” he said. “We had a limited supply so we had to ration it.”

 

The researchers in order to satisfy their hunger prepared a number of dishes, most of which contained Spam, including a Cajun jambalaya and also noodle with fried rice. In order to know the final result the researchers need to wait for four months. The end result and findings will be presented at the International Astronautical Congress as soon as the research complete in Beijing.

 

Image: CanadianManufacturing