It appeared as if a jar of chocolate spread floating in front of a lunar spacecraft would be funny. In the Orion spacecraft, a container of chocolate spread drifting in space was a good example of what a well-thought-out life in outer space should look like. A brief scene from the live video stream was funny, but it did not go unnoticed because it demonstrated one of the serious sides of the mission the presence of food aboard the Orion spacecraft. It is crucial to remember that the food is not a random thing brought aboard for convenience but rather something that perfectly suits the purposes and limitations set by microgravity. Thus, the chosen products have been thoroughly planned and tested.
For example, NASA says that Artemis II will prove that the system and procedures developed by NASA scientists will enable further exploration. In this respect, it should be mentioned that there is no refrigerator or resupply option on board Orion, and the astronauts’ food supply consists of 189 unique items of food or drink chosen according to their ability to preserve and provide enough calories and vitamins to maintain the necessary level of health in the crew.
As the mission showed, all the foods used on the trip were rehydratable, with drinks, desserts, and flavorings being offered to the astronauts. It is worth mentioning that there is also a portable warmer for heating some food, and ambient water dispenser for drinking. There is also a restriction concerning the astronauts who are not allowed to do the same things that they could do on Earth because of space conditions.
In space, crumbs pose a particular threat. In zero-gravity conditions, small particles can float freely and get into astronauts’ eyes and lungs, vents, or even electronic devices. This issue has also been considered when preparing the food menu for the crew since the bread meals that caused crumbs in Apollo were the reason. Now tortillas and flatbreads are preferred for astronauts’ breakfast, lunch, or dinner because they can be consumed safely.
Another reason why a floating chocolate jar attracted everyone’s attention is the fact that the spacecraft has very limited space where four astronauts have to fit in, lie in the sleeping bags attached to the cabin walls, and operate during a ten-day journey to the Moon. Everything on board should be small, and, therefore, there is a tiny exercise device that can fit into the cabin and a small heater for food.
All the mentioned onboard details give a hint that space travel requires careful planning of every step, and a jar of spread shows that everything in this case has been done correctly because, unlike Apollo, the food eaten by the crew is quite safe in terms of producing crumbs. Overall, it is possible to say that the Nutella scene was a demonstration of the actual goals of NASA’s new mission that consisted in ensuring the normal functioning of humans on board a spacecraft under certain conditions.