— Maybe the most well-liked instance of house meals that probably by no means was, astronaut ice cream is now 50 years outdated.
The crunchy, room temperature deal with, which melts because the freeze-dried ice cream rehydrates in your mouth, was first launched in 1974 by American Out of doors Merchandise. In keeping with Astronaut Meals, the model underneath which the Area Age snack continues to be marketed, the thought took place after a NASA middle requested it for its guests.
“Our founder, Ron Smith, advised Severe Eats that in 1974, ‘Goddard Air and Area Museum contacted us and stated that freeze-dried ice cream was utilized by the house program,” learn a June 27 weblog submit on the Astronaut Meals web site. “They wished to know if we might make it so they may promote it of their reward store.’ And we stated, ‘Certain, we’ll strive it,'”
The primary iteration, which the corporate figured can be, at most, a short-lived fad, was produced by taking half gallon tubs of Neapolitan ice cream as offered at grocery shops, freezing them strong after which reducing them with a bandsaw. The slices have been then freeze-dried and packaged.
NASA first turned to the freeze-drying course of for the powdered drinks flown on the Mercury orbital missions within the early Nineteen Sixties. The company then invested in bettering the know-how in order that it might broaden the kinds of meals its Gemini crews might eat in house. By the point the Apollo moon program started, the astronauts might select from greater than 60 totally different freeze-dried, bite-size gadgets.
In NASA’s 1968 press package for its first three-man launch, NASA listed “vanilla ice cream” on one of many three menus for the Apollo 7 astronauts. It’s the solely recognized occasion that freeze-dried ice cream has appeared on a NASA-prepared menu. (Later, house shuttle and Worldwide Area Station-era astronauts have been and nonetheless are in a position to participate in off-the-shelf, frozen ice cream on account of freezers being flown to protect science experiment samples.)
In 2019, the then-last surviving member of the Apollo 7 crew was requested in regards to the ice cream. Walt Cunningham stated he didn’t keep in mind having it on the mission. Whether or not that meant it by no means flew or that it was solely consumed by certainly one of his crewmates is unknown. Wally Schirra, commander of Apollo 7, died in 2007, and command module pilot Donn Eisele died in 1987, every with out ever commenting on the subject. (Cunningham died in 2023.)
Regardless its authenticity, astronaut ice cream turned successful with the general public and a typical reward store memento supplied at NASA customer facilities, air and house museums and science facilities round the USA and the world. Packets of freeze-dried ice cream have been additionally supplied within the Nineties as a mail-away promotion with Kellogg’s Raisin Bran cereal.
Over the previous 50 years, Astronaut Meals has expanded its ice cream line from simply Neapolitan (chocolate, vanilla and strawberry) to incorporate mint chocolate chip and cookies and cream ice cream sandwiches, freeze-dried ice cream balls and even a “banana break up bundle” which provides freeze-dried banana slices and strawberries as toppings for the dehydrated ice cream.
Astronaut Meals additionally branched out past ice cream to supply freeze-dried cheese pizza and french fries, amongst different spaceflight-inspired snacks.
To rejoice 50 years of astronaut ice cream, Astronaut Meals is planning to supply commemorative shirts and different swag, in addition to limited-edition product launches and the introduction of latest packaging for its present line of freeze-dried merchandise. The model, having lately been “STEM.org Authenticated,” may also companion with instructional establishments to make use of astronaut ice cream to encourage the subsequent technology of engineers and explorers.
“We’re immensely proud to be celebrating half a century of Astronaut Ice Cream,” stated Ron Smith, co-owner and founding father of American Out of doors Merchandise. “It has withstood the check of time, proving its enduring enchantment and changing into a beloved deal with for generations.”
