What will Gaganyaan astronauts eat during their mission?

From breakfast options like idli or upma to dinner choices such as chicken korma and chapati, the astronauts aboard the Gaganyaan mission spaceflight will enjoy a taste of home even in space. The menu, comprising over two dozen items inspired by cuisines from across India, is being meticulously designed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to meet the unique challenges of space travel.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced the names of the four astronauts for India's ambitious maiden human spaceflight mission Gaganyaan scheduled for next year. The Gaganyaan project envisages demonstration of human spaceflight capability by launching a crew of three members to an intended low earth orbit of 400 km for a three-day mission and bring them back safely to earth by landing in Indian sea waters, according to the Indian Space Research Organisation(ISRO).

The special food that theses astonauts will eat during the mission will be prepared by the DRDO's Mysore-based Defence Food Research Laboratory (DFRL). The ready-to-eat, less spicy menu will include idli, upma, biriyani, vegetable pulav, dal curry, mixed vegetable curry, chicken kurma, chapati, semolina halwa, etc. Beverages, too, would be in special sachets with straws attached.

While adapting a range of packaged food items used for soldiers in harsh conditions, DFRL is ensuring that the space cuisine remains mildly spiced, with optional spice sachets for those seeking an extra kick. The food packs, desiccated for space travel, will require reconstitution with water within the controlled environment of the space module.

To tackle challenges in a zero-gravity environment, scientists at DFRL are developing special straws for drinks and carefully designed bins to contain food remnants. Notably, bread is excluded from the menu due to its tendency to crumble, which could pose challenges in space.

With a team of scientists dedicated to perfecting every detail, DFRL aims to meet NASA standards for food quality and packaging, ensuring the best possible culinary experience for Gaganyaan astronauts.

If the indigenous space project estimated to cost Rs 90 billion succeeds, India will become only the fourth country to send a human into space after the Soviet Union, the US and China.