Here’s How Astronauts Will Eat Thanksgiving Dinner in Space

Mike Hopkins and Rich Mastracchio are two Americans who definitely won’t be home for Thanksgiving. Cruising high above the Earth aboard the International Space Station, though, doesn’t mean they’ll be without the comfort food of the holidays. In a message sent down the other day, Mastracchio and Hopkins show off some of the delectable treats they’ve got lined up for their Thanksgiving feast.

Station Crew Sends Thanksgiving Message, Shows Off Selection of Food

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Crammed in bags and dried for storage, the astronauts’ meal will certainly lack the welcoming aroma of walking into a house that has an oven stuffed with turkey. But, says NASA , many of the staples are there:

Their menu will include traditional holiday favorites with a space-food flair, such as irradiated smoked turkey, thermostabilized yams and freeze-dried green beans. The crew’s meal also will feature NASA’s cornbread dressing, home-style potatoes, cranberries, cherry-blueberry cobbler and the best view from any Thanksgiving table.

For Space.com, Miriam Kramer interviewed NASA food scientist Vickie Kloeris about the astronauts’ holiday meal, but also about how much astronaut food has improved since the freeze-dried ice cream of yesteryear.

More from Smithsonian.com:

Science Trivia on Your Thanksgiving Plate
Thanksgiving in Literature
5 High-Tech Steps to Making the Easiest and Fastest Thanksgiving Dinner Ever

Colin Schultz | | READ MORE

Colin Schultz is a freelance science writer and editor based in Toronto, Canada. He blogs for Smart News and contributes to the American Geophysical Union. He has a B.Sc. in physical science and philosophy, and a M.A. in journalism.