Astronauts, space station crew have special dinner date

(Updated 10:10 p.m.) The crew of both the space shuttle Atlantis and the International Space Station (ISS) will have a special American summertime dinner out in space on the fifth day of the shuttle program's last mission. Earth-bound folks can also dine on the same food the astronauts will eat by preparing a meal from the menu posted on the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) website. "Since the mission is in July, we thought it would be fun to have a typical summer meal often enjoyed in our backyards with friends and family," said Michele Perchonok, NASA food scientist and manager of the shuttle food system. The "All-American" menu for the outer space dinner starts off with crackers, brie cheese and sausage. The main course consists of grilled chicken, Southwestern corn and baked beans. For dessert: apple pie. The ISS crew will have barbecued brisket as entrée.

Vickie Kloeris (left), NASA food scientist and astronaut Mike Massimino discuss the special American meal that the Atlantis and ISS crew will feast on. Photo: NASA

NASA posted the recipes on its website for all those interested in cooking and enjoying the same meal. NASA said space food these days is very different from what it was when the US space program was taking off. There are now about 180 different types of food and beverage options to choose from. The food items vary from shrimp cocktail to seasoned scrambled eggs. On the food list are freeze-dried items. Also listed are “thermostabilized" foods which have been processed with heat to destroy microorganisms and enzymes that can cause spoilage. A lot of the food choices come from commercial products that are turned into freeze-dried servings. Other products like nuts and crackers are bought and then repackaged for the space flight. Meanwhile, NASA said the threat of space debris they revealed earlier is no longer feasible. Flight controllers were able to verify that the trajectory of a piece of orbital debris they began monitoring last Saturday will not be a threat to the shuttle and the station. — Earl Victor Rosero/VS, GMA News