What Will Astronauts Eat on Artemis II? From Tortillas to Coffee, NASA Reveals Moon Mission Menu

New Delhi: What do you eat when you’re orbiting the Moon with no fridge, no fresh food, and no resupply? As NASA prepares for Artemis II, the answer is a carefully designed menu that mixes practicality with comfort. From tortillas and macaroni to coffee and cookies, the Artemis II food plan shared by NASA offers a glimpse into daily life inside the Orion spacecraft where every meal is planned down to the last detail.

Tortillas, Mac & Cheese, and Space-Friendly Meals

The menu includes familiar, easy-to-eat foods like tortillas (preferred over bread to avoid crumbs), vegetable quiche, breakfast sausage, macaroni and cheese, couscous with nuts, and even barbecue beef brisket.

There are also lighter options such as mango salad, granola with blueberries, almonds, cashews, and tropical fruit mixes. These meals are designed to be filling, nutritious, and safe in microgravity.

Coffee, Smoothies, and Limited Drinks

Astronauts will have more than 10 beverage choices, including coffee, green tea, lemonade, apple cider, cocoa, pineapple drinks, and mango-peach smoothies.

However, drinks are limited, each astronaut gets about two flavoured beverages per day due to strict weight and storage limits on the spacecraft. Still, coffee remains a key part of the routine, helping astronauts stay alert during the mission.

No Fresh Food, No Second Chances

Unlike the International Space Station, Artemis II will not carry any fresh food. The Orion spacecraft has no refrigeration and no option to send supplies later.  That means everything onboard must be shelf-stable and ready-to-eat, freeze-dried, thermostabilised, or irradiated to last the entire mission without spoiling.

Food also needs to be easy to handle. In space, crumbs can float and damage equipment, so meals are designed to stay intact and simple to consume.

How Meals Are Prepared in Space

Astronauts will use a water dispenser to rehydrate freeze-dried meals and a compact, briefcase-sized warmer to heat food when needed. 

Meal times are structured into breakfast, lunch, and dinner, giving astronauts a sense of routine even while orbiting the Moon. During launch and re-entry, only ready-to-eat foods are allowed, since full preparation systems may not be available.

Built for Health and Performance

NASA says food planning for Artemis II balances nutrition, safety, and crew preference with the spacecraft’s strict limits on space and weight.

Astronauts test and select their meals before launch, ensuring the final menu suits both their tastes and dietary needs. Meals are packed in sets of two to three days per crew member, allowing some flexibility during the mission.

A Big Upgrade From Apollo

Compared to the Apollo program era where astronauts had limited and often unappetising options, today’s space food is far more advanced.

While the International Space Station benefits from resupply missions and occasional fresh food, Artemis II represents a different challenge: a fully self-contained journey into deep space.

More Than Just Food

In a mission like Artemis II, food is not just about eating-it’s about staying healthy, focused, and mentally strong in a confined environment far from Earth.  As NASA pushes toward longer missions and eventual journeys to Mars, the Artemis II menu shows that even on a mission to the Moon, a good cup of coffee and a simple tortilla matters.

Read More: Artemis II and the “Period of Loss”: What It Means for NASA’s Manned Moon Mission