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Show August 26, 1 999 had 'true grits' cooKin pace menu i earn Force researchers. d Concerned more with spacecraft BROOKS AFB, Texas (AFPN) There and safety issues, NASA engineers weren't any "happy meals' aboard Apollo initially imposed strict requirements on moon missions, but astronauts were sat- food researchers. Space food had to be isfied with what scientists here had cooked lightweight, compact, easily eaten in zero up in catering to their gastronomic tastes. gravity and last without refrigeration up The U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace to six months at 100 degrees Fahrenheit Medicine pioneered space food develtube food and food Early paste-lik- e of one most the became that both cubes were unpalatable and impracopment contributions tical. Astronauts and food test subjects important made to America's space program. disliked early experimental diets. After The culinary delights evaluated in the three days of eating this food, an Air Force kitchen laboratories at Brooks AFB, volunteer quipped, "The chow was good, Texas, may not have given space trav- but I wanted something I could chew." elers a more appetizing dining experiAstronauts Virgil 'Gus' Grissom and ence, but the cuisine had the right John Young disliked the food so much, ingredients to keep them alive. they smuggled unauthorized corned beef "I remember one general asking, 'Why. sandwiches aboard their Mercury and can'tthey (astronauts) just eat beef jerky?" Gemini flights, respectively. said retired Lt. Col. May O'Hara about Astronaut complaints led to improvethe unusual space food proposal. ments. Food tubes were replaced by d food reconstituted O'Hara, then the only female Air Force dietician involved in space food research, with water. Bite-siz- e food cubes were helped pioneer nutritional studies aimed coated with a more digestible gelatin at providing astronauts with balanced to prevent crumbling. diets. Following the last Mercury mission in The school's space nutrition studies which L. Gordon Cooper became the feedevolved from the aircrew d first astronaut to dine on Aero1952 in by the ing program begun food, NASA realized it needed n at Medical Research durable food for more Laboratory space n Ohio. AFB, Project Gemini and Apollo flights. The n In 1960, NASA tasked the Air Force lab launched a three-yea-r with developing space food for Project research and development program n lab, in that included various diet and human Mercury. The collaboration with the U.S. Army Natick metabolism in space studies. food In 1963, the Air Force transferred the Laboratories, developed bite-siz- e cubes and flexible food tubes contain- space nutrition studies to Brooks. A s and liquids. school team of more than 40 medical, ing "An Air Force veterinarian at Natick dietary and biological specialists conwrote all the space food specifications. tinued these studies led by biochemist-nutritioniDr. John Vanderveen. (In the beginning of the space program) there wasn't any space food," O'Hara An early NASA concern was weightsaid. "A totally new food system had to lessness' effects on food. be developed." "They were worried that food particles NASA primarily relied on industry to in zero gravity would float into spacecraft create space foods and feeding systems electronics, causing equipment dam Air Force Research Laboratory life-suppo- pay-loa- rt freeze-dehydrate- , in-flig- ht freeze-dehydrate- longer-duratio- Wright-Patterso- Wright-Patterso- Wright-Patterso- semi-solid- st fit 1 j i WMarcf T Bay j 1 ing," But one liquid food evaluated became the official drink of astronauts and an early commercial success. Thesis said the scientists ran several tests on Tang an orange juice replacement. Acceptability was the primary issue in developing space food. "We felt a space diet ought to have a variety of foods that astronauts liked," O'Hara said. "It was really exciting to be on the frontier of space. We felt we were making history." (Courtesy of Air Force Materiel Command News Service) Eden Plain fi""""-"- Ciiy- 7QO If buick f 1 Family Readiness 723-525- 5 399-562- 1 Information and Referral A unique decorating class, sponsored by Family Support and the Officers' Spouses Club is designed to brighten up your on or off base home. Sept. 28, 9 p.m. Making school lunches & fun snacks on a budget: Sept. 29, p.m. This class is and is taught limited income families great for by EFNEP. CEUs will be given for home daycare providers. 7-- 6-7:-30 Together Support Group: Sept. 21, 5 p.m. If you have an illness and need someone to talk to or more information, join our informal group and let us help. Tfiu lL.U'Oy Rl 544-123- t J il, and teleconferencing. We also offer a support group called Hearts Apart. This group meets at least monthly for fun activities and networking. Some child care expenses are reimbursable for adult activities. Hearts Apart Sept 16, 6 p.m. Enjoy an evening with Fran Brown for hair and face makeovers. NEW 4 Genuine Chevrolet flw Cars Mitre Americans Trust. 7 USED CREDIT 543-227- HOTLINE645 N. MAIN -f p- LAYTON IflTI I ""I iligjl Plymouth Dods JepEas, 723-345- 6 fN Qualifying for a home loan using your VA benefits: Sept. 14, 2 p.m. You've earned 'em, now learn how to use 'em! Learn the terminology and paperwork needed to qualify for a VA Home Loan. V' w PfOMXQ Uf HTl 647 S. ItaSsi, Brighssst From Ogden 479-- 1 S44 111 I No. move to Utah comfortably. rs Chryslr v vZ"I sonalty help E-ma- improvements. Food experiments were conducted in altitude chambers that served as space cabin simulators. The longest experiment lasted 72 days. "We tested a variety of liquid diets," O'Hara said. "They weren't too satisfy- OH Deafer 2-- If your spouse is on TDY or remote, call us morale calls and find out about our foods and feeding systems to make Line sands of dollars on real estate agent commissions. Military Sponsor's Training Sept. 13 and 27, 3 p.m. Be a great sponsor and help another military family PCS into Utah as smoothly as possible. Civilian Sponsor's Training: Sept 7 and 21, 3 p.m. Important information is provided concerning civilian moves and how you can per2-- said. School researchers relied on Lackland AFB, Texas, volunteers' feedback on f Ogden th y-Nor- 30 astronaut weight loss, dehydration and loss of blood vessel fluids experienced during Mercury and Gemini missions. "The first thing NASA wanted us to evaluate was a liquid concentration similar to Metrocal. Everybody who consumed it said it tasted terrible," Theis fill " L iWA Home Selling Seminar: Sept 2, p.m. Learn how to "do it yourself" and save thou- was adopted. NASA was concerned about Brigham O miasm TlymcuK Jmr t fflFl 1234 No. Main, Layton 544-580- 0 " - I2th St. B aneaville. "rc'l aer Roy !i ; Clearfield -- ViwV J, ""- I GREAT SALT LAKE mmi&msm jsugugn ml Ci'tSi JL3 CITY Dodgs 7234431 "?Srth s hafbfw. P.O. BOX 687 - Layton. Utah 84041 1888 North Main Slreet LjLtLaytoj1 I 0 i x Sl t 281 0 WASHINGTON BLVD. A Fa rm i n gton Centervllle 394-884- 776-420- 1 4 8 UATW, l"C. (IU3S CARiiiSA! 308 E. 125 N., Morgan 544-211- 2 829-324- 5 r IT priTfiril S fg J LIS! EBB TO DodgeTrucks cjSpX" Mor5 j X i' M5 Ogden I I2J8- - WELCH m ADUEnTISC IE THE EVJ CAR DUVERS fiUILDE 30 p.m. Learn terminology, market information arid how to negotiate the best price on your new home. with spoons. NASA's taste for investigating liquid food prevailed before Vanderveen's idea I esusBai Home Buying Seminar: Sept 9, ing food in space from cans using utensils, Vander veen's idea became a reality during early Apollo missions. Astronauts ate rehydratable food from plastic pouches kGMSALES.&SimvffiW4 Gea 1 some of the difficulties children face when they to friends and move including saying good-by- e location. at confident new the feeling ing, Vanderveen envisioned a feeding concept, later used on the moon, that was years ahead of its time. Vanderveen came up with what later became the 'spoon-bow- l' concept. Realizing cosmonauts had little difficulty eat- tfiah's "On)' Full : 4:30-5:3- lessness," said O'Hara. Having observed weightlessness' minimal effects on eat- fin (WHffiS$M ;i Ertgnam Ctty 0 Kids on the Move: Sept 14, p.m. This workshop is designed to help alleviate "We were the first to test food in weight- that were evaluated and refined by Air by Rudy Purif icato fun. icine. .a r Family, from page A4 age," says Clarence Theis, a Systems Research Laboratories technician here and former space food research team member at the school of aerospace med- GALL UITZI SQAl'J |