Mac and cheese for Artemis II crew? NASA says, ‘Don’t worry — space has it’

During its ongoing Artemis II mission, NASA shared a glimpse of daily life aboard the Orion spacecraft on Sunday (April 5, 2026). A video released on social media shows astronauts floating inside the capsule while enjoying a meal — a small but meaningful reminder of home millions of kilometres away. 

The footage features commander Reid Wiseman, mission specialist Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen dining in microgravity as Orion continues its historic lunar test flight. 

In its post, NASA reassured curious viewers: “Don’t worry: space has mac and cheese.” 

The agency explained that food aboard Orion must be specially designed to work in weightlessness — easy to prepare, safe to store, and most importantly, crumb-free. 

Why eating in microgravity is a challenge 

In space, the simple act of eating becomes a technical challenge. Astronauts experience microgravity, a condition where objects appear nearly weightless because gravity is extremely weak. 

Without gravity, food does not stay on a plate. Everything — meals, sauces, and drinks — floats. 

To manage this, astronauts store food in sealed plastic or metallic pouches. Most dishes are freeze-dried and must be rehydrated before eating. 

Veteran space traveller Christina Koch, who previously spent nearly a year aboard the International Space Station, explained that the process usually involves adding water to freeze-dried meals before heating them. 

The biggest rule: no crumbs 

One of the strictest requirements for space food is eliminating crumbs. 

A crusty loaf of bread might seem harmless on Earth, but in orbit tiny particles float freely inside the spacecraft. These crumbs can drift into astronauts’ eyes or get sucked into electrical systems, potentially damaging sensitive equipment. 

For that reason, meals such as spicy green beans and macaroni shown in the Artemis II video are designed to stay compact and crumb-free. 

A surprisingly rich menu

The food aboard Orion was not randomly chosen. The four astronauts — Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen — personally selected and taste-tested their menu long before launch. 

According to NASA, the spacecraft carries 189 packaged food and beverage items, carefully balanced for calories, hydration, and nutrition. 

The menu includes: 

• Barbecued beef brisket 
• Mac and cheese 
• Spicy green beans 
• Mango-peach smoothies 
• Five different varieties of hot sauce 

Astronauts can also enjoy up to two flavoured beverages a day, which may include coffee. 

How astronauts prepare their meals 

Preparing food in space is a streamlined process. Orion is equipped with a potable water dispenser that astronauts use to rehydrate freeze-dried meals and drinks. 

Meals can then be warmed using a compact, briefcase-style food warmer inside the spacecraft. 

However, menus also depend on the stage of the mission. During launch and re-entry, astronauts rely on ready-to-eat foods, because there is no opportunity to hydrate freeze-dried meals during those phases.