HOUSTON – As the four-person crew of NASA’s Artemis II mission makes their historic 10-day journey around the Moon, they are carrying more than just advanced scientific instruments. Stowed within the compact Orion spacecraft is a meticulously curated menu of 189 unique food and beverage items, designed to provide both the physical fuel and psychological comfort needed for the first lunar voyage in over 50 years.

With the mission launched as of April 1, 2026, the crew—Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen—is currently dining on a selection that reflects decades of evolution in space food systems.

A Menu Built for Deep Space

Unlike the International Space Station (ISS), which receives regular resupplies of fresh produce, the Orion spacecraft is a self-contained environment with no refrigeration or late-load capabilities. Every gram of weight on the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket is critical, leading to a menu composed entirely of shelf-stable items.

Because the Orion spacecraft lacks refrigeration, every morsel on board must be shelf-stable. This restriction has pushed NASA’s Space Food Systems Laboratory to refine a variety of food types:

Rehydratable: Freeze-dried items like vegetable quiche that are “brought back to life” with water from Orion’s potable dispenser.

NASA’s Space Food Systems team utilized four primary types of food for this mission:

• Rehydratable: Freeze-dried meals that are brought back to life using Orion’s potable water dispenser.
• Thermostabilized: Heat-processed foods sealed in pouches that can be warmed in a compact, briefcase-sized food warmer.
• Irradiated: Foods treated to eliminate spoilage and ensure safety without refrigeration.
• Ready-to-Eat: Natural-form foods like nuts, cookies, and dried fruits.

Combatting “Space Congestion”

Astronauts often report a dulled sense of taste due to fluid shifts that cause head-cold-like congestion in weightlessness. To counter this, the Artemis II pantry is stocked with five different varieties of hot sauce, as well as spicy mustard, to provide the sensory “kick” needed to keep the crew eating.

Signature Dishes and “Crumbless” Solutions

The menu features a mix of high-protein meals and comfort food classics. Notable entries include barbecued beef brisket, chicken curry, macaroni and cheese, and vegetable quiche. To celebrate the international collaboration, the mission also includes five Canadian products in honour of mission specialist Jeremy Hansen.

One of the most essential items on board is the tortilla. NASA has packed 58 tortillas for the 10-day trip. Tortillas are preferred over traditional bread because they do not produce crumbs, which in microgravity can float into sensitive electronics or become an inhalation hazard for the crew.

The Coffee and Condiment Factors

Maintaining morale 240,000 miles from Earth is as much about flavour as it is about nutrition. Spaceflight causes fluid shifts that can dull an astronaut’s sense of taste and smell. To combat this “congested” feeling, NASA has provided a robust spice kit, including:

• Five varieties of hot sauce to add much-needed kick to meals.
• Sweet and savoury spreads such as maple syrup, peanut butter, almond butter, spicy mustard, and strawberry jam.

Lunch: Couscous with nuts, mango salad, and a mango-peach smoothie.

Dinner: Barbecue beef brisket, macaroni and cheese, and spicy green beans.

Dessert: Options range from chocolate pudding and cookies to maple cream cookies—a specific request from Canadian Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen.

Beverages are equally vital but strictly rationed due to “upmass” (weight) constraints. Each astronaut is allotted two flavoured beverages per day. Coffee remains the most critical fuel; NASA estimates the crew will consume roughly 43 cups of coffee during the mission. Other options include green tea, mango-peach smoothies, and chocolate or strawberry “breakfast drinks”.

Strategic Preparation and Packaging

Food preparation is a phased operation. During high-intensity periods like launch and re-entry, the potable water dispenser is unavailable, meaning the crew must rely on ready-to-eat items. Once in the transit phase, they can use the water dispenser for freeze-dried meals and the briefcase-style oven to enjoy hot dinners.

To simplify logistics in the cramped Orion cabin, NASA packs meals into containers holding two to three days’ worth of food for each individual. This allows astronauts a degree of choice within a specific window while ensuring they don’t have to search through the entire inventory for a single snack.

As these four explorers continue their loop around the Moon, their meals represent more than just 2,500 to 3,000 daily calories; they are a vital “taste of home” supporting the success of humanity’s return to deep space.

As the crew moves toward their lunar flyby on April 6, these 189 items do more than just fuel bodies; they provide a tangible, tasty connection to the home they left behind.