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From hot sauces to cobbler, here’s what Artemis II astronauts are eating

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by Jane Alvarez-Wertz and Addy Bink - 04/02/26 10:08 PM ET

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by Jane Alvarez-Wertz and Addy Bink - 04/02/26 10:08 PM ET

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(WAVY) – The crew of Artemis II has officially embarked on their historic mission to slingshot around the moon following a successful launch on Wednesday.

The four-member crew – Mission Spc. Jeremy Hansen, of Canada, Mission Spc. Christina Koch, Commander Reid Wiseman and Pilot Victor Glover – have many important duties on board the Orion capsule, aiding in NASA’s goal of landing humans back on the moon in 2028.

All that hard work will likely cause them to develop an appetite. Thankfully, NASA has developed a food system to support crew health and performance during their flight around the moon — and it’s tastier than you may expect.

There are strict food requirements for Hansen, Koch, Wiseman, and Glover. Since their food can’t be restocked or refrigerated, all meals must be shelf-stable and safe for use in the Orion spacecraft. The Artemis crew tried and ranked items from a standard menu ahead of time.

Because the mission is self-contained, all food must be packed in advance. NASA says space food experts worked with the crew to balance caloric needs and hydration while meeting the spacecraft’s strict mass, volume, and power requirements.

Certain food items can be rehydrated with a potable water dispenser, and a food warmer reminiscent of a briefcase can be used to heat meals as needed. These preparation methods are designed to minimize crumbs and particulates that could interfere with spacecraft systems in microgravity.

Some of the foods picked by the Artemis crew may not surprise you. Cashews, almonds, and granola with blueberries rank among the most common food items. There are 58 tortillas aboard Orion — or, there were when it took off, there’s no word how many have been eaten as of Thursday.

Other popular items include barbecued beef brisket, couscous with nuts, macaroni and cheese, breakfast sausage, and wheat flat bread. For their fruits and veggies, the Artemis crew has opted for mango salad, broccoli au gratin, tropical fruit salad, cauliflower, butternut squash, vegetable quiche and spicy green beans.

There are five hot sauces on the menu as well. Other condiments include maple syrup, chocolate spread, peanut butter, strawberry jam, honey, cinnamon, almond butter and spicy mustard.

When they aren’t craving something spicy, the crew will have sweet options. Cookies and chocolate are the most popular options, NASA reports, but cake, candy-coated almonds, pudding and cobbler are also available.

The astronauts are each allowed two flavored beverages a day, which can include coffee.

According to NASA, it takes 43 cups of coffee to power the Artemis crew. Additional beverage options include green tea, cocoa, three varieties of “breakfast drink” (chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry), mango-peach smoothie, apple cider, pineapple drink and lemonade.

The available menu changes based on the different phases of the flight.

During launch and reentry, the potable water dispenser is not available, for example, so any hungry crew member has to opt for ready-to-eat foods. A broader range of options, including freeze-dried meals that require hydration, is available during the transit phase once the spacecraft’s full preparation systems are operational.

The Artemis crew has time in their schedule for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

NASA manages food storage by packing two to three days of meals for each crew member in a single container. This method provides flexibility by allowing astronauts to choose from several options within that multi-day window.

The Artemis II food system differs from the programs used on previous missions. Astronauts on the International Space Station, for comparison, get regular resupplies and occasionally fresh foods.

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