JOIN USIdli, upma & cosmic view: Menu for Gaganyaan astronauts
Egg rolls, upma, idli with sambar and coconut chutney are ideal takeaways for any destination, be it for a road trip or even a spacecraft-trip to the low-Earth orbit.
As India waits with bated breath for the nation's first manned mission in 2022, 'Gaganyaan', one of the most crucial steps in planning this historic feat is deciding the menu for the astronauts.
There are a total of 30 items prepared, according to reports, including egg and veg rolls, idlis, moong dal halwa, and veg pulav. The astronauts will also be provided with a heater to reheat the items.
The wholesome desi meal will be prepared by the Defence Food Research Laboratory, in Mysuru, which works under the Defence Research and Development Organisation.
The food is specially processed to keep it easy and safe to store, prepare and consume for the astronauts as the spacecraft is machinery-filled. This preparation is easy to handle in weightless environments for the spacemen.
For the Indian astronauts scheduled to go into Space in Mission Gaganyan, food items including Egg rolls, Veg rolls, Idli, Moong dal halwa and Veg pulav have been prepared by the Defence Food Research Laboratory, Mysore. Food heaters would also be provided to them. pic.twitter.com/gDgt9BJpb2
— ANI (@ANI) January 7, 2020
Yuri Gagarin, the first to eat in space aboard Soviet Union's Vostok 1 (1961), ate from toothpaste-type tubes, two of which contained servings of puréed meat and one which had chocolate sauce.
ISRO is likely to launch two small satellites aboard a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) within the next six months in low-Earth orbit, ahead of Gaganyaan.