How to 'cook' a Thanksgiving dinner in space: Nasa astronauts show how they prepare for a culinary feast... of dried turkey and pasta

  • Video on Facebook shows how astronauts will celebrate Thanksgiving
  • Details the processes involved in heating up dried turkey and spaghetti
  • One man appears to have swapped that meal for turkey leg at the end 

By JOHN HUTCHINSON FOR MAILONLINE

Published: | Updated:

It might not be your traditional turkey dinner, but these astronauts at Nasa's International Space Station are cooking up their own Thanksgiving meal.

Using Space Food Systems Laboratory, it will only take the crew about 15 to 20 minutes to rehydrate their freeze-dried food.

That food, however, is a far cry to what many families will be sitting down for today. The astronauts will be able to enjoy some turkey tetrazzini, heated out of a packet.

The astronauts are celebrating Thanksgiving with freeze dried food, although the man to the left appears to have sneaked a turkey leg in somehow

The astronauts are celebrating Thanksgiving with freeze dried food, although the man to the left appears to have sneaked a turkey leg in somehow

The turkey terazzini doesn't look the most appealing of meals in the plastic packaging

The turkey terazzini doesn't look the most appealing of meals in the plastic packaging

The video of how the meal is prepared, from start to finish, has been shared on the International Space Station's Facebook page

The video of how the meal is prepared, from start to finish, has been shared on the International Space Station's Facebook page

How the food is prepared was shared in a video on the space station's Facebook page, which has already been shared almost 120,000 times.

The clip gives step-by-step instructions as to how the food is heated up.

Firstly the astronauts will removed the contents from the packaging and then 'set the rack to the specified time,' and fill with water.

The contents of the freeze packet look more like nuts and bolts than something you'd eat.

You probably wouldn't guess it, but contained inside this bag is a turkey meal for one

You probably wouldn't guess it, but contained inside this bag is a turkey meal for one

Hot water is pumped into the food bag, taking only a matter of seconds to dispense

Hot water is pumped into the food bag, taking only a matter of seconds to dispense

The bag is connected to a machine and the user can time how long the bag is heated for

The bag is connected to a machine and the user can time how long the bag is heated for

Then once the food has been left to 'rehydrate,' all that is left to do is 'cut open and enjoy'

Then once the food has been left to 'rehydrate,' all that is left to do is 'cut open and enjoy'

THE HISTORY OF SPACE FOOD

The first man in space Yuri Gagarin ate pureed meat from toothpaste tubes as he orbited the Earth in 1961.

When Americans followed the Russians into space they quickly developed freeze dried foods for the Project Mercury missions.

However astronauts found the offerings unappetizing and hard to rehydrate.

By the time of the Gemini missions in 1965-6 the flavours had improved and the menu included shrimp cocktail, chicken and vegetables and butterscotch pudding.

Astronauts now make up a panel that tastes the food and gives it a final OK on Earth before it blasts off.

However the lack of gravity means smell - and taste - is impaired. So the food is bland.

The hot water fills into the packet in seconds, and then the food is put in a secure case to keep warm and to allow the food to 'rehydrate.'

The next instruction is easy enough to adhere to, 'cut open and enjoy.'

However, by the end of the clip, it appears the astronauts have decided the turkey tetrazzini wasn't for them. One is pictured with a turkey leg, while another appears to be munching on some kind of pasty.

The sight of the turkey tetrazzini has not been met with much favour by commentators online.

Melissa Miller writes: 'The only reason i would eat that is if i was in space,' while Pat Bennet adds: 'You truly are heroes to eat such stuff! I salute you.' 

Cluadia Menghi decides to perhaps point out the obvious, writing: 'At first sight it doesn't look tasty, does it?'

And Geri Maxwell Gribinas appears to put an invite out there to the astronauts by saying: 'Hurry up and come home for the real thing! Happy Thanksgiving!' 

 

 

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