Part 3/7:
Inside NASA’s Food Innovation Hub
To address these challenges, the NASA Johnson Space Center has set up a dedicated Food Systems Team, led by passionate food scientist Ryan Dowdy. His role resembles that of a restaurant manager—except his "customers" are astronauts preparing for years in space, and their menu must withstand the rigors of deep space travel.
From Tubes to Home-Reminiscent Meals
Early space missions featured basic, unappetizing foods—think gelatin cubes and toothpaste-like tubes—hardly appealing or nutritious. Now, NASA’s food scientists aim to improve that experience by developing real, recognizable foods that can be stored for years without spoiling, delivering both nutritional value and psychological comfort.