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Eating in Space

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the tang-makes-me-ill dept.

Roland Piquepaille writes "What do you think astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) ate for Thanksgiving? Roasted turkey? Wrong answer. In "Orbital Thanksgiving," NASA tells us they had tortillas and gives details about food in space. If the dining view, 200 miles over the Earth, is great, preparing meals is quite a challenge. For example, there is no refrigerator or freezer aboard the Station, so food must remain good for long periods at room temperature. And you need to avoid crumbs which could float around. This is why tortillas are favored over bread. This overview contains additional references and includes a picture of a cosmonaut preparing food in the ISS galley."

185 comments

  1. FP by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    First Post....Genius!!

  2. Great! by Pingular · · Score: 4, Funny

    It's great to know that our space program is finally get properley underway, and that astronauts can now eat well. Next project could be getting TV for them?

    --

    When anger rises, think of the consequences.
    Confucius (551 BC - 479 BC)
    1. Re:Great! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait

      yea no shit! next on slashdot, fucking in space! find out how our intrepid space explorers engage in intercourse at zero-G! next week's feature article on slashdot will include.....shitting in space! oh gee! wow! can you believe that?? fucking awesome ain't it??!?

    2. Re:Great! by Simonetta · · Score: 0, Flamebait

      I think that this article begs the question as to why it is necessary to keep sending living biomass (i.e. human beings) into space.

      Previous 20th-century arguments hold that despite the enormous cost and level of complications for keeping the biomass alive, the humans have the greatest ability to do useful work and respond creatively to unusual and unexpected situations. But certainly now the advanced robots can do everything, kilogram for kilogram, that the humans can do at much less cost (not to mention pseudo-'heartfelt output of emotion at the tragedy') when the biomass ceases living due to any one of the thousands of things that can and will go wrong in such a hostile environment.

      Why should we consider these people 'heroes' for doing such pointless things like transporting their bodies into space at such enormous cost and dubious achievement? Heroes are the people like the team that recently got the cost of a watt of solar electricity reduced by an order of magnitude. Heroes are people who things that are extraordinary, inspiring, and, above all, useful.

      Spending billions of dollars to launch a crew-cut poster boy (American, Chinese, or Russian, doesn't matter, it's the same guy) into space when a monkey or robot would do just as well does not generate 'heroes'. It's just PR for bloated defense contractors (American, Chinese, or Russian).

      Please don't give this nonsense about the 'science' that is being conducted in space. There is no science in space, there's nothing in space.

      All you space geeks should just spend more time in Hollywood learning how to make movies that will satisfy your obsession with this topic and stop wasting so many billions of tax dollars that are needed now for so many more important things.

      Thank you,

    3. Re:Great! by nustar1 · · Score: 1

      I hate to agree with you but what has the space program really delivered to the american/russian/chinease/etc... people but a more efficient nuclear weapons delivery platform?

      There are a lot of enviromentally friendly programs that have grown under the patronage of the space program but at what cost? Have we paid for our solar summers with our nuclear winters?

    4. Re:Great! by Minna+Kirai · · Score: 1

      Please don't give this nonsense about the 'science' that is being conducted in space. There is no science in space, there's nothing in space.

      While you're basically correct, there is plenty of scientifically valuable tasks to do in space. Humans aren't needed to do them... only robots. That bit of hyperbole gets you modded down.

      Heroes are people who things that are extraordinary, inspiring, and, above all, useful.

      Sadly, no. A 'hero' is anyone whom a mass of people call a hero; it's a democratically-defined honorific. That's why Jessica Lynch became a hero for her military failure.

      Although the US NASA had hero-building as a main goal, it's failing at even that minor task. Few in the public can name a current astronaut... until he explodes, that is!

    5. Re:Great! by extremely · · Score: 1

      *snort* Advanced robots? WTF are you smoking? We can barely get the robotic arm to do semi-automated docking of craft. Robotics aren't ready for prime-time except for specialized and repetitive tasks. Let's see a robot that can hunt down and snag a drop of water that got away. How about one that can handle and breed mice. One that can notice the mice are ill?

      Nonsense. Human beings are incredibly well adapted to being general purpose tool users and most of the experiments we design rely on those capabilities.

      Pound for pound, including biomass and lifesupport, humans are the most efficient machine in space.

      Plus, many of the advances you take for granted in the robotics industry were spawned and pushed by the space program. And still are. Economically, America has made many, many dollars back for every dollar we've spent in space. Better food, better science, better materials, better computers.

      *bah*

      --

      $you = new YOU;
      honk() if $you->love(perl)

  3. No "Overlord" Replies, please. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    "And you need to avoid crumbs which could float around."

    No Homer!

    They'll CLOG THE INSTRUMENTS!

    1. Re:No "Overlord" Replies, please. by Zoshnell · · Score: 4, Funny

      Look out, they're ruffled!

      --
      "Do you suppose that's why God lives in the Heavens? Because he lives in fear of His creations?" - Steve Buscemi
    2. Re:No "Overlord" Replies, please. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      In Soviet Russia the overlords 1. Welcomes you 2. ??? 3. Profit

  4. first post by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    I finally made it! I am the greatest.

  5. SIR HAXALOT = SIR SUXALOTTACOCK by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    Damn can that little faggot bitch suck a lot of cock!

  6. hot and cold outside by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    face the sun, it's an oven
    face away, it's a freezer

    what's the problem?

    AC

    1. Re:hot and cold outside by panurge · · Score: 2, Informative

      Facing a vacuum does not make a freezer. Ever heard of a Dewar (vacuum) flask? I don't know, 19th century technology and already forgotten about in the 21st.

      --
      Panurge has posted for the last time. Thanks for the positive moderations.
    2. Re:hot and cold outside by davidhan · · Score: 1

      The problem is the one guy who opens the fridge door and can't make up his mind what to eat, letting all the oxygen out of the spaceship.

  7. I'M GOING TO FILL YOUR FAG EARS WITH MY CUM, BITCH by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll


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  8. Turkey? by heironymouscoward · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Actually I always believed that astronauts sucked pastes of different colors out of plastic sachets, brown-orange was "beef with carrots", and brown-yellow was "turkey breast with potatoes".

    If the often-nauseous smells coming from the gally aboard a plane are any indicator, the odour of heating food could be really nasty in space.

    And what's this about "no freezer"? What exactly is outer space, if not cold? No airlocks aboard the ISS?

    --
    Ceci n'est pas une signature
    1. Re:Turkey? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

      That's interesting, but rather hauntingly it reminds me of this:

      Last night I masturbated thinking of my ex-girlfriend -- except that she had no arms and legs. I had removed them and was raping her. Her helpless sobbing mingled with my orgasm.

      Serves her right for cheating on me, I thought. But today I feel disgusted with myself. Is this wrong?

    2. Re:Turkey? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      Space sure is cold, but there isn't much material to take the heat from you. They really can't freeze things by simply putting them outside the ISS.

    3. Re:Turkey? by Chalybeous · · Score: 2, Interesting

      It surely can't be as bad as those brightly-coloured "food cubes" that Captain Kirk and his crew used to eat (such as in Journey to Babel ).

      On the other hand, in Charlie X, I seem to recall Kirk ordering the galley to make a fake Thanksgiving turkey out of meatloaf. And real food was seen on occasion, emerging from those little slots in the rec room.

      Star Trek notwithstanding, I've always been kinda fond of that freeze-dried "space icecream". As for pastes - great for practicality (and very futuristic-sounding), but I think the astronauts would quickly get bored of mush-in-a-tube. Real food is probably better for morale, not to mention their health.
      Yep, I hate to bring up bodily functions, but if you just ate blended mush and no fibre, you'd probably get constipated pretty darn quick. Plus, in addition to morale, sitting down to eat like other co-workers is probably good for the crew's mental health.

      ... hey, waitasec, I think I just figured out why those little grey men like to anal-probe people ... :-P

      --

      "It is dark. You are likely to be eaten by a grue." -- Zork

    4. Re:Turkey? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      if you are behind the moon (ie The sun is infront of the moon) It would be cold. If you were behind the space station, it may or maynot be cold (I dont think it is cause the space station is puny). Otherwise place some unprotected organic material in full view of the sun and you have the equivalent of a microwave...

    5. Re:Turkey? by Yokaze · · Score: 4, Informative

      > And what's this about "no freezer"? What exactly is outer space, if not cold?

      Temperature is the mean kinetic energy of particles per volume. Space is quite empty, which keeps the temperature quite low. But, do you know what the best (heat-) insulator is? Vacuum.

      What one usually calls "cold" is not something of low temperature, but something with a lower temperature and a good heat conductance. Hence, a piece of metal of room temperature is cold.
      It "drains" the heat from you.

      --
      "Between strong and weak, between rich and poor [...], it is freedom which oppresses and the law which sets free"
    6. Re:Turkey? by sandbagger · · Score: 2, Informative

      Hi:

      It's the *international* space station. Thanksgiving (as such) was invented in Canada and was a well-established holiday by the time the pilgrims landed in the US.

      Regardless, it's a North American holiday. Not everyone in the tin cans spinning above the Earth may have been celebrating it. Of course, it's a US press release, so...

      --
      ---- The above post was generated by the Turing Institute. Maybe.
    7. Re:Turkey? by Craig3010 · · Score: -1, Flamebait

      Fuck Kirk, I'd rather be on Picard's ship. Hell, even Archer has real food on his.

    8. Re:Turkey? by PhotoGuy · · Score: 3, Insightful
      What one usually calls "cold" is not something of low temperature, but something with a lower temperature and a good heat conductance. Hence, a piece of metal of room temperature is cold.

      This is an excellent point, and is also the explanation of something I always wondered about when I was younger: why a swimming pool that's at 20'C (70'F-ish) seems noticably cooler than room temperature. Both room temperature and the water are much colder than our bodies, but water contacting your skin conducts away your heat much more effectively than the air.
      --
      Love many, trust a few, do harm to none.
    9. Re:Turkey? by TarpaKungs · · Score: 5, Informative
      In space, an object will lose most of it's internal kinetic energy by radiation; it emits electromagentic (EM) radiation in relation to it's absolute temperature. Normally, in warm surroundings, the EM lost is balanced by EM receieved from surrounding objects - so when equilibrium is achieved, the temprature of the object stabilises (assuming no other sources of heat energy).

      But, do you know what the best (heat-) insulator is? Vacuum.
      No... Conduction is one loss mechanism. There will be little conduction in space. Radiation however is a very significant mechanism too. Check your thermos flask - it's silvered as well as presenting a vacuum barrier.

      In space, there is much lower background EM depending on whether you are in sight of the sun or not, so for best effect put your "freezer" out behind the ISS away from the sun and I think you'll find that stuff freezes pretty quickly.

      --
      Why can't women be like Hedy Lamarr - beautiful, talented and inventors of frequency-hopping spread-spectrum techn
    10. Re:Turkey? by shaitand · · Score: 1

      Where have you heard that nonesense? When the pilgrams landed not much of anyone except vikings and eskimo's lived in Canada.

      I assure you they did not invent thanksgiving, and at the time of the first thanksgiving it's a safe bet they didn't email the pilgrams to let them in on it even if they had invented it.

    11. Re:Turkey? by ctishman · · Score: 1

      So put a metal box... outside... the space station...

    12. Re:Turkey? by fven · · Score: 1

      > And what's this about "no freezer"? What exactly is outer space, if not cold? No airlocks aboard the ISS?

      An obvious flaw with this argument is that if indeed the inside of the ISS is at 0 degC, then why don't the astro/cosmo nauts freeze as well as their food?

      Or does their food orbit separately, and they go on a spacewalk each mealtime?

  9. Wine or beer ? by emmanuelito · · Score: 5, Funny

    A what about drinks ? Have the effects of alcohol in space been studied ? I volunteer ! Emm

    1. Re:Wine or beer ? by JediTrainer · · Score: 3, Funny

      Um, there HAVE been Russians in space. Doncha think they smuggled some Vodka up? I mean, c'mon. A Slav without Vodka is like an Irishman without Guinness.

      --

      You can accomplish anything you set your mind to. The impossible just takes a little longer.
    2. Re:Wine or beer ? by TV-SET · · Score: 1

      In this case, I think that producing alco up there is much easier then smuggling it through all the controls there are on the way. All you need is some water, sugar, flavour (like those fruits they have for the first few days), and some warmth (computers?).

      No wonder there are only smiling faces on all the pictures. :)

      --
      Leonid Mamtchenkov ...i don't need your civil war...
    3. Re:Wine or beer ? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      that's largely due to marketing campaigns in the case of Ireland and Guinness. Lots of Irish people drink Murphys or Beamish. Or whiskey (lots of), of course. And the westbrits in dublin drink G&T.

  10. THIS was slashdot worthy? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It seems to me as though just about everyone reading slashdot knew this already and has been eating space ice cream since they were old enough to walk...

  11. No refrigeration? by Tx · · Score: 2, Funny

    I wouldn't have thought keeping things cold was that big a challenge in space.

    --
    Oh no... it's the future.
    1. Re:No refrigeration? by G4from128k · · Score: 4, Interesting

      I wouldn't have thought keeping things cold was that big a challenge in space.

      Temperature control is actually quite a problem so the ISS has a number of features to keep temperatures regulated. Overall, space in LEO is cold (averaging 0 F). The problem is that it is far too hot on the sunny side (250 F) and far too cold on the shady side (-250 F). Therefore the ISS is extremely well insulated to maintain an even temperature across the entire inside. But this insulation leads to other problems -- heat builds up from all the equipment. Thus, the ISS has a giant radiator to dump excess heat into space.

      --
      Two wrongs don't make a right, but three lefts do.
    2. Re:No refrigeration? by DataCannibal · · Score: 1

      Whats an "F". Is that some funny Amercian unit of temperature or is that NASA dumming things down for Joe Public

      --
      No but, yeah but, no but...
  12. Food fights are forbidden by stere0 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Too many computers, electronics, etc. on the ISS to have food fights. If you want to have one, you have to go outside.

    --
    Trollem mirabilem hanc subnotationis exigiutas non caperet
    1. Re:Food fights are forbidden by Krunch · · Score: 1

      "In space nobody will hear you scream!"

      --
      No GNU has been Hurd during the making of this comment.
    2. Re:Food fights are forbidden by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Food fights are fucking disgusting anyway.

      A major point of hatred-of-america arises in Ireland when we see ignorant american fucks just throwing food around on TV/in films.

      It may be due to the famine years ago, but all the Irish people I know are simply intrinsically revolted and disgusted by the waste of food involved, even though we now have a massive surplus of food. A quick way to get some strong anti-american sentiment out of the normally easygoing Irish is to mention "high school food fights". If you americans want better PR in Ireland, stop televising assholes flinging good at eachother (it would be nice if you returned our main western-seaboard airport to us too...).

    3. Re:Food fights are forbidden by Orne · · Score: 3, Funny

      "In space nobody will hear you scream" for ice cream!

    4. Re:Food fights are forbidden by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      A major point of hatred-of-america arises in Ireland when we see ignorant american fucks just throwing food around on TV/in films.

      You do know that many of those american fucks are irish (or descendants of the irish) and are in america due to the famine?

    5. Re:Food fights are forbidden by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The correct phrase is "american fucks who think they are irish but aren't and fund the provisional IRA terrorists in Ireland"

  13. Potato Chips by Suit_N_Tie · · Score: 1

    Just make sure they aren't Ruffles!

  14. Zero gravity by cperciva · · Score: 4, Funny

    Quoth the article:
    Space and zero gravity offer challenges for food preparation.

    On the other hand, zero gravity offers unique advantages for food preparation: If you're careful, you never need to run out of counter space.

    --
    Tarsnap: Online backups for the truly paranoid
    1. Re:Zero gravity by lone_marauder · · Score: 1

      On the other hand, zero gravity offers unique advantages for food preparation: If you're careful, you never need to run out of counter space.

      So *that's* why they are so picky about sheathing the knives.

      --
      who are those slashdot people? they swept over like Mongol-Tartars.
    2. Re:Zero gravity by pipingguy · · Score: 1

      Wouldn't counter-space be like anti-matter?

  15. umm... Drink of Astronauts by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    How could they write this article and not mention Tang ?

    umm.... orange powdery goodness....

    1. Re:umm... Drink of Astronauts by sharkey · · Score: 2, Funny

      Hello, President Clinton? I figured if anyone knew where to get some 'tang, it'd be you. Shut up!

      --

      --
      "Outlook not so good." That magic 8-ball knows everything! I'll ask about Exchange Server next.
  16. In space, no one can hear you freeze... by skia · · Score: 0

    How could they not have refrigeration!? Don't you get that for free by being in space!?

    "Dude, where's the Dews I just brought up here?"

    "Ugh! They were all warm, so I hung them out over the dark side of the station for a bit."

    --

    --

    1. Re:In space, no one can hear you freeze... by 26199 · · Score: 1

      But since you're in a pretty good vacuum, there's no heat loss to conduction or convection... the only way to lose heat is by radiation.

      You could call space cold, and technically it is, but when there are only a few atoms per cubic metre it isn't really much of anything...

  17. I highly recommend by GillBates0 · · Score: 4, Interesting
    the Space Station 3D movie in IMAX theaters. A must see if you are even remotely interested in space...or 3D movies for that matter.

    I, for one, was amazed at the clarity and crispness of the scenes filmed inside the ISS. I have seen other 3D IMAX movies too: Ghosts of the Abyss,etc...but this one beats them all by a huge factor.

    I know for sure it is (or was) running in Atlanta (Mall of GA), DC (Smithsonian Air and Space Museum) and Boston (Aquarium IMAX) last year. Google for it...definetly worth the effort. A few reviews and clips here.

    --
    An Indian-American Hindu committed to non-violent thought/speech/action alarmed by the global explosion of radical Islam
    1. Re:I highly recommend by targo · · Score: 1

      I second that. I saw the movie in the Kennedy Space Center; make sure you go to see it when you visit!

      --
      When men used to be men
  18. No freezers? by Mondoz · · Score: 4, Informative

    I guess they didn't want to mention the Enhanced Gaseous Nitrogen Dewar system, which keeps samples frozen at -321 degrees Fahrenheit...
    Or perhaps the ARCTIC freezer system, with 38 liters of -20C degree cold stowage...
    ISS Fact Sheets

    --
    /sig
    1. Re:No freezers? by Burnon · · Score: 1

      So what are they going to use to heat the food back up? Even if they have something, is it worth the energy cost on a little self contained speck in the sky?

    2. Re:No freezers? by Mondoz · · Score: 2, Interesting

      They have heaters as well. Freeze-dried foods are often prepared with hot water. Heat is actually readily available on the station; as a by-product of running the equipment and computers, as well as the solar panels collecting power and storing it in the batteries. Large radiators constantly bleed off heat from the vehicle. On the Shuttle, the payload bay doors double as giant radiators. On arrival into orbit, the doors are opened almost immediately, even if there are no space walks planned or items to deploy, etc... The vehicle generates so much heat, that if the doors can't be immediately opened, the mission would be scrubbed, and the crew would be forced to return home.

      --
      /sig
    3. Re:No freezers? by bluGill · · Score: 0

      That is all too complex. Plenty of freezer space right outside the station. Just make sure you pick a spot always in shadow and you should be just fine. A space walk now and then for food might be a nice change considering how little room there is up there.

    4. Re:No freezers? by Wolfrider · · Score: 1

      --Thanx for that; I never knew why they opened the doors all the time. To me it just seemed to make the shuttle more vulnerable.

      --
      .
      == WolfriderV6 == I'm willing to admit that *I just might* be wrong... Are you??
  19. microgravity ?? by selderrr · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    Tortillas are favored over sandwich bread, because they create fewer crumbs and are easier to handle in microgravity.

    doh ? Anyone exprienced with this term ? I though space was zero gravity...

    --
    When will I end this grieving ? When will my future begin ?
    1. Re:microgravity ?? by mythogen · · Score: 2, Informative

      Microgravity is the technical term for the gravity in space. There isnt actually zero gravity, there is always something exerting force on you. The weightlessness comes from being in orbit, not from the lack of any gravity.

    2. Re:microgravity ?? by Jesrad · · Score: 2, Informative

      I think "free fall" is an acceptable term as well, and describes more accurately the situation. After all, gravity isn't reduced that much in LEO, but staying in orbit really means falling down the horizon.

      --
      Maybe we deserve this world ?
    3. Re:microgravity ?? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

      Right. Gravity is actually still quite strong in LEO; the way you maintain orbit is by falling into the gravity well, while having enough 'horizontal' speed so that you're following the curvature where the gravity is the same. Effectively, you're falling toward the ground, but always miss it. You could be in orbit 10m from the ground, assuming you could sustain enough speed in Earth's atmosphere.

    4. Re:microgravity ?? by Crypto+Gnome · · Score: 1

      Not to mention enough lateral vectoring to avoid all the objects ~10m off the ground but not in your orbit (ie on-the-ground, part-of-the-ground, or other loonies orbiting @ 10m).

      Anyone out there with a slide rule?

      What would be the speed required for such a low orbit?

      --
      Visit CryptoGnome in his home.
    5. Re:microgravity ?? by Jesrad · · Score: 1

      The velocity of an object in a stable orbit a r distance from the center of a massive object is v = sqrt(GM / r)

      Here r = 6370000 m
      G = 6.67 * 10^-11 Nm^2 / kg^2
      M = 5.98 * 10^24 kg

      So v = 7913.05 m / sec

      That's 28486.98 km / h or 17701 mph.

      --
      Maybe we deserve this world ?
  20. Hydroponics by Kazymyr · · Score: 1

    I guess we're still a long way from astronauts eating locally grown food... :)

    --
    I hadn't known there were so many idiots in the world until I started using the Internet -Stanislaw Lem
  21. Well by Jesrad · · Score: 3, Funny

    "Station crews have more than 250 food and beverage items they can select from the U.S. and Russian food systems, but they have to make their selections as early as a year before their flight," Kloeris said. "The choices range from barbecued beef to baked tofu, with probably the most popular item being shrimp cocktail," she said.

    They even have a wider range of available food than I do, and I live at a 5 minutes walk from the local supermarket...

    --
    Maybe we deserve this world ?
  22. Maybe I'm just trolling, but ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    "If the view is great, preparing the meals is quite difficult."

    How does one reach the conclusion that as the view gets better, preparation becomes more difficult?

    1. Re:Maybe I'm just trolling, but ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Because your attention is focused in the view instead of the food?

  23. Tortillas??? by Pedrito · · Score: 2, Informative

    I doubt that was their main course. I mean, I live in Mexico, and I like tortillas as much as the Mexicans, especially when they're warm and fresh from the tortillaria. But they hardly qualify as a meal in themselves. I mean, they're made from cornmeal (or flour, if you go for those kind). Surely they had something with their tortillas, like freeze-dried ice cream maybe.

    1. Re:Tortillas??? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The article mentions that they had flour tortillas (which sort of makes sense since in my experience non-mexicans [or non-central-americans] find them more bearable) but then it says that they eat the with Peanut Butter and Jelly which is so wrong

    2. Re:Tortillas??? by charboy1 · · Score: 2, Informative

      Want to make your own Space Tortillas? You can find the recipe in one of the NASA Educational publications. Appendix F of Space Food and Nutrition contains the formulation (a.k.a. recipe) for Space Tortillas. The ISS Standard Menu is also included in Appendix E.

      Bon appetit!
      - charboy

  24. Why no herb garden? by G4from128k · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I'm surprised that none of the astronauts has snuck a small herb garden on board. Some fresh basil, chives, or parsley would surely enliven the food. You could probably grow these plants in a dirt-free medium by stuffing damp cloth fragments into a sock and keeping it damp. You could then velcro the planter near a window and let it grow.

    The plants might grow strangely in zero-G, but I'm sure the leaves would still taste OK.

    --
    Two wrongs don't make a right, but three lefts do.
    1. Re:Why no herb garden? by Craig3010 · · Score: 0

      Maybe because the fire alarms would go off when they lit up. Then there's the random drug testing. Can you imagine getting fired on the IIS? Talk about screwed...

    2. Re:Why no herb garden? by ShadowRage · · Score: 1

      "ISS, this is houston, we hear water bubbling up there. and where is that music coming from?!"

      "Like, Totally relax man... it's all good!"

  25. Refrigeration by DeepDarkSky · · Score: 2, Insightful

    The lack of refrigeration does seem kind of odd, given that we always hear that space is "cold"

    However, thinking about it some more, I guess it's because of the relative vacuum of space that makes it more like a gigantic insulator - if you have heat on the ISS, it'd be difficult to dissipate it because there is no medium to carry the heat away. At least, I think that's what might be the case.

    1. Re:Refrigeration by squarooticus · · Score: 1

      Heinlein discusses the very problem of ridding a closed system of heat in Have Spacesuit, Will Travel. I don't think it's a problem most laymen have considered, yet it's one of the biggest problems with designing spacefaring craft.

      --
      [ home ]
  26. Limitless power, why no heat pumps? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    If there's one thing that isn't scarce up there it's sunlight, and consequently nor is electric power. Why then is heat control a problem?

    With peltier heat pumps in all walls, all you need in principle is good computer control of heat pump direction throughout the craft.

  27. Question: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    How do people have sex in space?

    1. Re:Question: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Same way as making love in the pool, I imagine.

    2. Re:Question: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What if the sperm escapes??

    3. Re:Question: by cfuse · · Score: 1
      How do people have sex in space?

      You only need one hand to hang on, that leaves the other ... Oh, you mean with someone else?

  28. eating at all? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    ?eating? in 3rd wwworld countries, for example
    score: mynuts won, nothing to buy here?
    Posted by CmdrTaco on Sunday November 30, @09:13AM
    from the tang-makes-me-ill (how annoying that must be for us, & the folks over at tang.com?) dept.

    morons write "What do you think babies aboard the ?other? side of the planet had for Thanksgiving? Roasted turkey? Wrong answer. In "less fortunate" areas, the pateNTdead eyecon0meter tells us, they had little of nothing, and gives details about space in their little bodies, where food ought to be. If the dining view, 200 miles of rough road, is unappealling, preparing 'meals' is even more so. For example, there is no food, so the babies must remain hungry for long periods at +- room temperature. And you need to avoid thinking about this scenario. The real 'stuff that matters' overview contains additional references, and includes directions by the creators, for their/yOUR newclear power, & planet/population rescue initiatives/mandates.

    ( Read More... | that makes sense )

    consult with/trust in yOUR creators... the lights are coming up now in order to assist in the avoidance of overheating the main processor, &, facilitation of the aforementioned ncp/ppr programs/mandates.

    for each of the creators' innocents harmed, there is a badtoll that must/will be repaid by you/US, as the execrabilious corepirate nazi perpetraitors of the life0cide against the creators innocents, will not be available to make reparations.

    see you there? tell 'em robbIE?

  29. I'll second that, too by mindstrm · · Score: 2, Interesting

    IT's worth it just for the footage of earth from orbit. Brought tears to my eyes, I swear.

    The imax shots of the ISS are fantastic too.. you just can't appreciate the size and scale of this thing from a TV.

  30. Answer: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    Up the bumhole.

  31. COld? by mindstrm · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Space is not cold. Space is not warm. Space is a vacuum.

    Space is a great insulator.

    1. Re:COld? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yeah, but you still have to worry about thermal radiation from the sun.

  32. No Turkey is probably good by dillpick6 · · Score: 3, Funny

    I wonder if they would complain about the Turkey being dry up there too..

    1. Re:No Turkey is probably good by NegativeK · · Score: 3, Funny

      There's an easy way to get around that - fry it! Uberly moist. Besides, who wouldn't want four hundred degree globs of oil floating around an enclosed space?

      --
      This statement is false.
  33. CAN U HEAR ME NOW? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Good.

  34. Also in the UK by David+McBride · · Score: 1

    If you're near the south of the UK, it's also being shown at the Science Museum in London on a regular basis. With all of the other material there, it's a fantastic place to take a day trip to.

  35. Freedom! Horrible Freedom!!! by RLiegh · · Score: 1
  36. Thankswhat? by Seehund · · Score: 4, Insightful

    What do you think astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) ate for Thanksgiving?

    Uh... That question hasn't really kept me sleepless. Considering that you're talking about the International Space Station...

    Well, now that the Spanish astronaut has left the station, Americans count for a whopping 50% of the astronauts aboard the station.

    I.e. one guy.

    Thanksgiving?

    --
    Help savingAmigaOS and a free PowerPC market
    1. Re:Thankswhat? by freeweed · · Score: 2, Funny

      I'll preface this by saying I'm a Canadian, and we also celebrate thanksgiving, although a month earlier than the USA. I'm also not sure why we do it, other than "we needed a long weekend in October". I DO know why Americans celebrate it.

      A friend of mine once asked me if they celebrated Thanksgiving in the UK (and by extension, Europe in general). Neither of us has ever been there, but I'm known as a trivia buff, so he figured I'd know. Knowing why the USA celebrates it, but not why Canada does, I ventured a guess:

      "Of course they do. They're thankful that all the Americans left Europe".

      For those of you about to mod this as flamebait, don't feel too bad. It took my friend about 2 days to get the joke, too :)

      --
      Endless arguments over trivial contradictions in books written by ignorant savages to explain thunder in the dark.
    2. Re:Thankswhat? by macshit · · Score: 1

      I think thanksgiving is generally classed as a harvest festival of sorts, so it's not surprising canada has one too -- basically a `whoa, we're not going to starve this winter!' celebration.

      [BTW, they certainly don't celebrate the american thanksgiving in scotland at least; I lived there for a few years, and t.g. for me was always a chicken chinese takeaway and a vague feeling of depression... :-]

      --
      We live, as we dream -- alone....
  37. Fluid heat exchange circuits will kill people by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    I don't want to be up there when either the water or the ammonia cooling circuits break. It's designed to kill people, either directly or through loss of environment control.

    Using fluid heat exchange in space implies either blind trust in technology or, less generously, that it is acceptable to increase the risk to your astronauts even beyond the risk inherent to being in space.

    It's simply nuts.

    1. Re:Fluid heat exchange circuits will kill people by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Well, hrm. Lessee.

      There's been spacecraft using fluids to exchange heat for a damn long time. I've yet to hear of a single astronaut or cosmonaut whom have died because of a coolant malfunction.

      Blind trust? Fuck no. It's called engineering. It's called triple or quadruple redundancy. It's called knowing that you built a system that's capable of handling the tasks at hand, and knowing that it's going to accel at doing it's job.

      Blind trust is when you send someone up, and pray to god that he survives because you know that you built a piece of shit.

      Blind trust is building a bridge with no knowlege on how to go about building one, then driving a truck over it to see if it crumbles.

      Blind trust is knowing nothing about building a boat, then puting it in the water expecting that it's not going to sink outright, or not develop a leak.

      Blind trust is jumping off a clif with pieces of wood strapped to your arms, expecting that you're going to fly with the birds. Engineering is doing the research that's relevent to the project at hand, and applying that knowledge to a physical object. Engineering is making a wind tunnel, and testing out aerofoils. Engineering is two bicycle repairmen constructing a machine that they know is going to work.

      Lots of things are dangerous. Driving on the road is dangerous. Driving on the road in a well built machine with airbags, and well engineered crumple zones, and proper restraining devices is inherently safer than driving in a machine with none of the above, and a bucket for a seat.

      There's a distinction there. I think you need to learn it. Indeed, it would be a good thing for everyone to learn.

  38. I know! I know! by Decameron81 · · Score: 1
    "What do you think astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) ate for Thanksgiving?"


    A MacYoda menu?

    Diego
    --
    diegoT
  39. Dirty space by Decameron81 · · Score: 1
    "And you need to avoid crumbs which could float around."


    How lazy of them.

    Diego Rey
    --
    diegoT
  40. in space, no one can hear farm animals scream by Schlemphfer · · Score: 4, Interesting
    There are essentially two ways to feed astronauts in space: to send food with them, or have them grow their own. Both choices pose problems, and this article only looked at the first choice. I personally find the second choice, the growing of food in space, to be far more interesting.

    After all, even with months-long space station stays, today's space stations are the equivalent of summer camp compared to what future astronauts will go through. Even if warp drives prove possible -- an enormous if -- astronauts will have to spend years aboard spacecraft to even reach relatively nearby parts of interstellar space.

    That being the case, the growing of food in space becomes practically a necessity. As space voyages lengthen, it becomes laughably inefficient to produce on earth the tons of food neccessary for the trip , and blast it into space.

    Growing food in space poses all kinds of challenges that make today's pre-packaged problems look trivial. Right from the start, it appears that producing meat, milk, and eggs in space is going to be prohibitively inexpensive. So instead, NASA is funding investigations into growing plants hydroponically--probably extracting minerals from astronaut's crap and urine. Doing this gets around the problem of having to send tons of food into space.

    The challenges of having animal agriculture in space are so extreme that it appears that virtually all serious research on space-borne food production is confined to vegan foods. This is purely a practical thing -- it's not as though the scientists at NASA have developed a sudden interest in animal rights. In fact, current studies involving vegan food production in space involve using rats to assess nutritional adequacies of what's being grown.

    But vegans can take heart. Even if they don't bring down animal agriculture on earth by 2525, it's a fair bet that Major Tom, blasting towards the Dog Star, will be eating a vegan diet -- whether he likes it or not.

    --
    I'm generally "Interesting," "Insightful," and even "Funny" here. What the hell happens to me at parties?
    1. Re:in space, no one can hear farm animals scream by Kazymyr · · Score: 4, Informative

      Actually the current state of molecular and cell biology almost makes it possible to grow muscle cells in an organized fashion in a cell culture dish - in other words, growing steaks in the lab. It will definitely be possible to do it for real in a matter of years. Would it be economically viable? Certainly not for a while on Earth, where cheaper alternatives are plentiful - but it could be a solution to avoiding a 100% vegetarian diet on long space missions.

      --
      I hadn't known there were so many idiots in the world until I started using the Internet -Stanislaw Lem
    2. Re:in space, no one can hear farm animals scream by JediTrainer · · Score: 4, Funny

      current studies involving vegan food production in space involve using rats to assess nutritional adequacies of what's being grown.

      I have a simpler solution. Just eat the rats.

      --

      You can accomplish anything you set your mind to. The impossible just takes a little longer.
    3. Re:in space, no one can hear farm animals scream by Coolmoe · · Score: 1

      This is the kind of thing that needs to be researched. The IIS is a modular design right? Why couldent they make a "food growth module". That could make the station more self supporting and reduce or eliminate a lot of the support missions.

      This makes sense for astronauts as less launches risks less lives. Also for the people manning the station as thier lives would not 100% dependant on supply missions. I think also in the long run probably more economical too.

      This would also lay a working foundation on the feasibility of self supporting colonies on the moon or other planets.

      --
      Got hosting
    4. Re:in space, no one can hear farm animals scream by pipingguy · · Score: 1

      molecular and cell biology almost makes it possible to grow muscle cells

      Why not? KFC has been doing it for years.

  41. Missed opportunity for spinning station by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    The plants might grow strangely in zero-G

    There was no need for zero-G if the thing had been designed properly. The fact that the ISS is not structured as two or three nested rings all spinning together for various levels of gravity just shows how primitive the whole thing is.

  42. Herb garden by Faust7 · · Score: 4, Funny

    I'm surprised that none of the astronauts has snuck a small herb garden on board.

    You know--

    No, no. This is too easy.

    --
    The coolest voice ever.
    1. Re:Herb garden by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Can someone (a moderator perhaps?) explain why this was modded Insightful?! What are you guys smoking?

    2. Re:Herb garden by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Basil... Yeah. That's it. It's basil!

  43. Ehhh... by Faust7 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Have the effects of alcohol in space been studied ? I volunteer !

    They probably stopped after the first volunteer mistook the Sun for the Earth and attempted re-entry.

    --
    The coolest voice ever.
  44. Get it delivered by Easy2RememberNick · · Score: 3, Funny

    I have solved the problem.
    People on the ISS should order nothing but pizza, it solves the storage problem;hot or cold, the quality problem, the crumb problem...it's gold baby!
    And as a bonus since most pizza chains don't have their own rocket program it'll take more than 30 minutes to deliver it, so the food is free!

    PS Maybe the ISS crew member from the US should have had that
    Turkey and Gravy flavoured pop
    from Seattle. Un-carbonated though.

    1. Re:Get it delivered by wworf · · Score: 1

      And as a bonus since most pizza chains don't have their own rocket program it'll take more than 30 minutes to deliver it, so the food is free!

      Unless of course, that chain is Pizza Hut

  45. HUGE heat sinks by roman_mir · · Score: 3, Informative

    The ISS is cooled down by emmitting infrared radiation through gigantic heat sinks that use two closed loops: one with water - to take the heat out of the stations interior and to the heat sinks and the oher with ammonia - to take the heat out of the water and into the heat sink tubing (ammonia freezes at a much lower temperature than water. Water would just become ice and would clog the tubes.) Now THIS is some heat sink that could solve heating problems of a huge super-computer.
    I wonder what did MIR use for cooling down?

    I like this chronology - a very exciting reading.

    --
    You can't handle the truth.
  46. Interesting tidbit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I work for a local grocery chain in Houston and the store I worked at 2 months ago provides alot stuff to the ISS program. For instance, they order 110 lbs. of asparagus each time. What's interesting (but not suprising) is they called me to get the LOT number and other information pertaining to the origin of the asparagus. I had to direct them to our supplier but I thought it was cool in any case. Not to mention that I had a good sales ring that day...

    1. Re:Interesting tidbit by cfuse · · Score: 1
      What's interesting (but not suprising) is they called me to get the LOT number and other information pertaining to the origin of the asparagus.

      Even astronauts don't want to eat that GM crap ...

  47. Insulator? by heironymouscoward · · Score: 2, Informative

    Vacuums are not insulators.

    I remember a great demonstration given in the Toronto Science Museum. A piece of rubber tubing placed into a bell jar. A vacuum pump extracting the air until it reached a near-vacuum. Pause... allow air back into the bell jar. Strike rubber with small hammer, rubber shatters and when touched, little pieces of it are _very_ cold indeed.

    An object in a vacuum radiates its heat and unless there is an equally warm object radiating heat back, it will cool off until it reaches the temparature of the surrounding radiation, which is (I believe) quite close to absolute zero in darkness, and probably somewhat higher (but nothing like 0 Celcius) in direct sunlight.

    --
    Ceci n'est pas une signature
    1. Re:Insulator? by nitehawk214 · · Score: 0

      Damn, where is PhysicsExpert? He would know the answer to this one.

      --
      I'm a good cook. I'm a fantastic eater. - Steven Brust
    2. Re:Insulator? by deander2 · · Score: 4, Informative

      an object in a vacuum will radiate its heat, yes, but that is not why the rubber shattered.

      while the vacuum pump was working, it was decreasing the air pressure in the jar. lower the air pressure, lower the temperature of the remaining air. the rubber cooler by the same principle as your air conditioner.

      a vacuum is still a great insulator. (that's why my coffee mug here has a vacuum between the inner and outer shells :)

      --
      http://kered.org
    3. Re:Insulator? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yes, an object in space does radiate its heat until it matches the surrounding temperature, but it does so very slowly, much slower than in an atmosphere.

    4. Re:Insulator? by Aglassis · · Score: 2, Informative

      You said: "a vacuum is still a great insulator. (that's why my coffee mug here has a vacuum between the inner and outer shells :)"

      There are 3 types of heat transfer: conduction, convection, and radiation. Your thermos-like cup (technically a Dewar flask) effectively prevents conduction and convection, but that does not mean there is no heat transfer. Any object will radiate (with EM waves) away heat according to Stefan's Law. It will also absorb radiation according to Stefan's Law. As I described in another post, the lower the emissivity, the lower the rate at which radiation is absorbed or recieved. What this means is that your thermos-like cup will have silvered walls on the inside of the vacuum chamber to reduce the amount of heat radiated or absorbed.

      --
      Suddenly, the hairy finger of a familiar monkey tapped me on the shoulder. It was time.--G. T.
    5. Re:Insulator? by RayBender · · Score: 1
      a vacuum is still a great insulator. (that's why my coffee mug here has a vacuum between the inner and outer shells :)

      No, in a vacuum things will cool radiatively. The innner walls of your thermos are reflective, which prevents thermal radiation from crossing the vacuum. In space, things will cool off very quickly - if they are in shadow. In sunlight they will warm up. That's one of the many reasons it's hard to build spacecraft. As a satellite crosses into Earths shadow it's surface can drop by 150 deg C in a minute; it's hard to avoid breaking things in those kinds of temperature swings.

      --
      Human genome = 3 billion base pairs = 6 GBit. Windows + Office = 20 Gbit. Which is more impressive?
    6. Re:Insulator? by Mwongozi · · Score: 1

      Actually, at Earth's distance from the Sun, the temperature of space is around 280K, or 7C

    7. Re:Insulator? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Actually, at Earth's distance from the Sun, the temperature of space is around 280K, or 7C.

      NOT IN THE SHADE!

    8. Re:Insulator? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Vacuums are not insulators.

      Shit. I guess my thermos is useless, then.

  48. Masturbation in space? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Who was the first human being to jack off in space?

    1. Re:Masturbation in space? by DataCannibal · · Score: 1

      er.. the first one who was allowed to take his suit off, although Valentina Tereshkova probably could have gotten away with some strategic "rubbing" if she'd felt like it. Or maybe it was Ham ?

      --
      No but, yeah but, no but...
  49. In Soviet Space... by Brian+James+D'Astous · · Score: -1, Troll

    Your food eats you!

  50. You may find this useful by SiliconBateman · · Score: -1, Troll

    A nice evening at her place, I thought as we got out of the car. Good wine, a wonderful sex goddess, and a good dinner lying happily in my stomach. What else could a man ask for? "To fuck like crazed weasels!", I muttered as I watched Jennifer slink up the walkway, with her one flawless leg catching in the light from the street light. "What's that, dear?" she said, pivoting to look at me. A flash of white skin caught the dim yellow light where the stump I'd been thinking about through dinner was. "Nothing, I was just muttering to myself. They tell me the insanity isn't anything to worry about unless I start st-st-stu-stuttering."

    Her infectious laugh filled the still air as we went into her apartment. I walked in and took off my shoes and watched as she placed a crutch tip on either side of her red pump and lifted her right foot out in one fluid motion. She was worth another hungry look in the room light. That oft-admired bare leg was perfect right down to the way the toes curved. Her hips and backside were pushing against her tight death-by-red dress. A bit further up, her full breasts were pressing hard against the fabric, with firm little points crying out to be touched. Her pretty hands flexed around the grips of the aluminum crutches that helped her look so athletic.

    Her eyes sparkled above her wide smile when I finally looked up at her pretty face. She turned and hugged me, and said, "Could you pour the wine? There are stem glasses in the cupboard above and to the left of the sink." She then headed to the sofa as I uncorked the bottle and found the supplies I needed.

    I thought about her as I made busy in the kitchen. I'd met her how long ago? Was it really only two weeks? From the first time I'd seen her hop past me at the pool, I'd been addicted. That stump, ending just above the knee, had just not been out of my mind since. But nor had her breasts, her earlobes, her very fingers - she was just everywhere! I'd almost jumped her in the Japanese restaurant earlier when, after I gave her right foot a good massage, she slipped said bare foot up above my ankle and started rubbing my leg. Yes, she'd be a dish in any language, and that truncated thigh just made it more exotic.

    I handed her the glass of chardonnay I was not taking a sip of, and sat down on her left. "That dinner was pretty nice," I said, "You have good taste." "So do you; where did you find this wine? It's splendid!" "Well, I had a recommendation from a friend who plays wine master, so I can't take credit. But I am feeling particularly smug about inviting you out tonight." "Well, it's about time! I've been waiting almost forever for
    you to decide you didn't mind dating a gimp," she retorted, poking me in the shoulder. "Heck darlin', that's almost the best part," grabbing her finger and holding on. "Or haven't you been paying attention when I've been staring at you?"

    "You stare at everything, that's why I like you. So many guys either think the stump is weird or don't mind in theory but have problems in practice. You like all of me, and it's wonderful." She intertwined her fingers with mine and moved closer. "Do you have plans in the morning?" she breathed.

    I said, "Well, I was hoping to be here, you wonderful tart!" and wrapped my arm around her shoulder, pulling her close for a kiss. The kiss that came back was incredible - I thought my zipper would split from the force of my erection. I felt her breast heaving under my hand as I slipped it down the front of her dress; the moan I heard when I touched her nipple proved that she was as horny as I was. As I undid her buttons to free those golden globes, I felt her left hand pull out my shirt and start to explore my back. Then her right hand moved to meet mine as she whispered, "There's one more part that needs attention," and she slid my hand down her body to the tip of her bare stump.

    I thought I'd burst right there. Her thigh felt firm and smooth right down to the end, where little undulations indicated where the sutures had gone when the doctors

    --
    -- Alchohol is a hard drug. Cannabis is a soft drug.
    1. Re:You may find this useful by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

      I had a damn good wank after reading that. Thanks very much, sir!

  51. No refrigerator? by tiny69 · · Score: 4, Interesting
    For example, there is no refrigerator or freezer aboard the Station, so food must remain good for long periods at room temperature.
    If the ISS doesn't have a refrigerator, then why does this picture have the following data plate in the upper right-hand corner:
    EX-3
    ONBOARD
    REFRIGERATOR
    --
    Go not unto/. for advice, for you will be told both yea and nay (but have nothing to do with the question)
    1. Re:No refrigerator? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Off-hand, I'd guess that it's an access panel to get to the environmental cooling system.

    2. Re:No refrigerator? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0


      "If the ISS doesn't have a refrigerator, then why does this picture have the following data plate in the upper right-hand corner?"

      Because it's a picture of the space shuttle during STS-102 and not the ISS? Nice try though.

    3. Re:No refrigerator? by tiny69 · · Score: 1
      Because it's a picture of the space shuttle during STS-102 and not the ISS? Nice try though.
      The person in the picture may be from the STS-102, but the picture is of one of the sleeping bays in the Zvezda service module on the space station.

      http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/shuttle /sts-102/html/s102e5100.html

      And why would the switch above the data plate be in russian on the Space Shuttle? The URL doesn't tell the whole story. Nice try though.

      --
      Go not unto/. for advice, for you will be told both yea and nay (but have nothing to do with the question)
  52. Space hair by utahjazz · · Score: 3, Funny

    Many male astronauts prefer to shave as little as possible, and all agree that it's one area in which their female colleagues have all the advantages.

    So women in space have hairy legs and hairy armpits? Cancel my ticket, I'll stay on Earth.

    1. Re:Space hair by Geno+Z+Heinlein · · Score: 1

      So women in space have hairy legs and hairy armpits? Cancel my ticket, I'll stay on Earth.

      Hmmm... combine that attitude with article headline, and I think the women astronauts might prefer that we stay dirtside.

      --
      Five percent of one year's DoD budget puts us on Mars.
    2. Re:Space hair by Arco0 · · Score: 1

      as for cancelling your ticket... goes double for me, in a recent NASA test, they proved that in rats, the libido of these incredibly multiply rodents is DRAMATICALLY decreased in space. which poses an interesting question... how do you "get it up" when everywhere is up?

  53. Celebrating the demise of by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Red indians in space!

  54. The ultimate Slashdot joke? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    In Soviet Russia the overlords

    1. Welcomes you
    2. ???
    3. Profit

  55. Re:No Turkey is probably good (OT) by Xerithane · · Score: 1

    Actually, brining the turkey will result in a very moist meat. Healthier than frying, by far.

    --
    Dacels Jewelers can't be trusted.
  56. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 1

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  57. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 1

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  58. I'll second that by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    That goes for us Ethiopians too.

    1. Re:I'll second that by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Does ethiopia have a western seaboard?

  59. the next big diet? by Grydon · · Score: 2, Funny

    think about it eat all you want and still weigh next to nothing, literally. is space eating the next big diet?

  60. Space tortillas by apirkle · · Score: 4, Interesting

    That explains this $136,216.20 proposal to NASA to study Development of Extended Shelf-Life for Tortillas for Long-Duration Space Missions".

    They wanted to (or did?) use MRI scans of tortilla dough to determine whether there were any changes on a molecular level that could be linked to tortillas taking on a bitter taste after being on the shelf for extended periods of time.

    I wish I could get my own NMR spectrometer by saying that I want to study tortillas.

    Does anyone else find this to be hilarious?

  61. Where is the TANG? by t0ny · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    I'd like to get some TANG in space. And I dont mean the orange drink.

    --

    Manipulate the moderator system! Mod someone as "overrated" today.

  62. Decreasing air pressure... by heironymouscoward · · Score: 1

    Yes, very clear.

    I retract my argument based on the rubber tube demonstration.

    Do you have any idea how fast heat radiation will cool an object in space? Stick a warm turkey in a plastic bag, chuck it out into space, how long will it take to freeze, and how cold will it get?

    Or will the turkey remain nicely hot for ages? If space is an insulator, this is what we'd expect...

    --
    Ceci n'est pas une signature
    1. Re:Decreasing air pressure... by Aglassis · · Score: 3, Informative

      You said: "Do you have any idea how fast heat radiation will cool an object in space?"

      Stefan's Law states: P = (sigma) * AeT^4, where P is the power radiated, (sigma) = 5.6696 * 10^-8 W/(m^2 * K^4), A is the surface area, e is the emissivity, and T is the temperature (in Kelvin). The emissivity can vary from 0 to 1 depending on the properties of the surface. An ideal absorber, which is also an ideal radiator, has an emissivity of 1 and is known as a black body. So, since an object can both radiate and absorb, its net power is P-net = (sigma) *Ae (T^4 - T-0 ^4) where T-0 is the temperature of the surroundings.

      What this means is that your turkey is always going to be radiating a certain value depending on its temperature, but depending on where that turkey is (in the shade behind the spacecraft or in front of the spacecraft receiving radiation from the sun) it may cool down or heat up (if the suns radiation is enough to overcome the heat radiated away). If the turkey stays in one place it will come to equilibrium because eventually the radiation absorbed and radiation emitted will equal out whether or not it heated up or cooled down.

      On one side note though, in the case where a turkey is in the radiation stream from the sun, because the radiation from the sun comes from only one direction, one side of the turkey would be much hotter than the other.

      --
      Suddenly, the hairy finger of a familiar monkey tapped me on the shoulder. It was time.--G. T.
    2. Re:Decreasing air pressure... by heironymouscoward · · Score: 1

      An interesting comment but not really an answer.
      I believe this discussion demands a serious (as in swallows and coconuts) analysis and conclusion. In full shade, in Earth orbit, how fast would a hot turkey (say 12 lb?) cool, and to what temperature. In full sunlight, what would the answer be?

      First complete answer, even approximate, gets my next five mod points.

      --
      Ceci n'est pas une signature
    3. Re:Decreasing air pressure... by Wolfrider · · Score: 1

      --Nice try, but you can't post and mod the same discussion -- unless you have more than 1 account.

      --
      .
      == WolfriderV6 == I'm willing to admit that *I just might* be wrong... Are you??
    4. Re:Decreasing air pressure... by heironymouscoward · · Score: 1

      You misunderstood me: 5 mod points at some point in the future to boost whatever comments that person makes. I'm trading in mod points futures.

      And no, multiple accounts won't help, Slashdot discriminates on the IP address.

      --
      Ceci n'est pas une signature
    5. Re:Decreasing air pressure... by SharpFang · · Score: 1

      Average human body radiates about 1000 watt (calculations here.
      We can approximate your turkey produces about 100 watt then.
      With temperature drop we're interested in (from some 300 to 270K) we can neglect the temperature change.
      That is 100J/s. Divided by 4200, 0.023 cal/s loss.
      1 calorie will raise/lower temp of 1 gram of water 1 degree.
      We want 6000 gram of nearly water (over 80% body weight) down 30 degrees. 180kcal calories to radiate. 7800000 s that is 90 days. Before the turkey freezes, it will be long rotten.

      Of course, you can repeat the rubber experiment. Pack the turkey in a big plastic bag with some, but not much air in it. Let it out into vacuum, the bag will immediately inflate by decompressing the air, and the decompressing air will immediately sap all heat from the turkey. Somebody calculate dimensions of bag before and after decompression? :)

      Mod points to good mare trolls please.

      --
      45 5F E1 04 22 CA 29 C4 93 3F 95 05 2B 79 2A B2
    6. Re:Decreasing air pressure... by Noren · · Score: 1
      In the shade, check out this tool. To use it, we need to make some big assumptions:

      Turkey does not lose mass to the vacuum (even water).
      Turkey is a 11 cm radius sphere of density 1.0 (about the density of water) which puts it at just over 12 pounds.
      Molar mass is 25: Water has a molar mass of 18, and in humans is about 65% of the body. use this as a guess as to the Turkey's water content, neglecting all other molecules the molar mass would be 18/.65=27.6. Subtract a fudge factor for other molecules (which are mostly much bigger, but there are some more molecules in there) and call the total molar mass 25. (smaller numbers here mean a larger total number of molecules estimate.)
      Temperature of a cooked turkey should be about 355 K, as any cook who uses a Kelvin thermometer will tell you.
      The emissivity is .5. This wild-assed guess is made because cooked turkey should be brown, but not black (which would be emissivity 1)

      In addition, this computation in general assumes that the ambient temperature can be neglected, conduction and convection can be neglected (probably reasonable assumptions in earth orbit) and that the temperature of the turkey remains uniform throughout- this last is most problematic and is expected to result in underestimation of cooling time required.

      Anyhow, this massive approximation results in:
      After an hour (3600 seconds) our turkey is near room temperature (295 K)
      After an hour and a half or so, our turkey reaches the freezing point of water and stops there for a while- it takes a lot of energy for water go from liquid to solid. (Our first assumption that the water did not escape as a gas implies some sort of airtight seal; water freezing near 273 K makes sense if the internal pressure is roughly 1 atmosphere)

    7. Re:Decreasing air pressure... by Noren · · Score: 1

      A Joule is about 4.18 calories (the scientific measurement.) It is also about 4180 Calories (the food serving measurement.) Why are there two units with the same name which are three orders of maginitude off? I think nutritionists just like to make things confusing. Anyhow, you mixed the two up, so your estimate is a factor of a thousand larger than it would be without that error.

    8. Re:Decreasing air pressure... by Noren · · Score: 1

      Er, reverse those comparisons... 4.18 Joules is a calorie; 4180 Joules are in a Calorie. The citation has it correct.

    9. Re:Decreasing air pressure... by SharpFang · · Score: 1

      You confused me completely. So is the turkey freezing time 90 days or just above 2 hours?

      --
      45 5F E1 04 22 CA 29 C4 93 3F 95 05 2B 79 2A B2
    10. Re:Decreasing air pressure... by Noren · · Score: 1

      Using your numbers but converting to calories instead of Calories, just above two hours.

  63. What happens when you fart in space... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    After eating Mexican food.

    If the gas has low velocity, then does it just hang around? There's no gravity, so no convection (hot air doesn't rise, cold air doesn't fall).

    Since farts are flammable, if you farted and then tried to light a cigarette, wouldn't you be enveloped in a cloud of flame?

    Do they use fans to circulate the air and eliminate this problem?

    Inquiring minds need to know.

  64. The Russian is Mixing it up,.. by BathTub · · Score: 1

    The Russian looks more like he is mixing some mad rhymes on his turntables than making dinner ;)

  65. I tried, didn't work by bluGill · · Score: 1

    I tried to give the astronaughts a treat, I called my local Jimmy's pizza (better than any chain) delevery, but it turns out they only deliver within 10 miles, and ISS is always farther away than that, even when not on the other side of the earth.

    OTOH, 747s fly at less than that distance from the ground, next time I have to fly I'm going to order pizza with those inflight phones. I'm sure the captin will detour a little to hit the delivery area if I bri^h^h^hgive him a large pizza.

  66. no food refrigerator by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    I bet there are refrigerators, but I expect they are reserved for scientific experiments, and not food storage, no doubt due to both space and power considerations.

  67. DONT USE "I for one"! by lommer · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Man, I realize that this is very grammar nazi-ish of me, but there is a phenomenon on /. that is really starting to piss me off: the use of the phrase "I, for one, blah blah blah". It clearly derives from the now old "I, for one, welcome our new so-and-so overlords", but taken out of context it is terrible. It serves no grammatical or informational purpose, and it reads like crap. In the above example the parent could have merely said "I was amazed...". I would think that most people here would have some respect for stating ideas clearly and succinctly without clouding them with useless language.

    Bah, sorry for the rant but please stop using this phrase.

  68. Re: Anyone else see this? by SirASCII · · Score: 0

    After reading that article, I find my self still wondering...
    What did they have for Thanksgiving?
    There is no definite answer in the article.

    Sharkbait... Ooh haha

  69. Mexican by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Great, so in the future we are all Mexican.

    At least our lawns will be well maintained.

    1. Re:Mexican by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Most of the mexicans around our neighborhood have terrible lawns.

      The future is ineed bleak for lovers of lush green foliage.

    2. Re:Mexican by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      leave it to the american to judge someones intelligence based on their lawn care

  70. Re:Great! Ice Cream by Doc+Squidly · · Score: 0

    The Space Program has already paid off in my opinion; Astronaut Ice Cream. Finally we've got really dry ice cream that doesn't melt. It's a dream come true. Of course I hear that they don't take Astronaut Ice Cream into space, WTF?

    --
    I think I think, therefore I think I am.
  71. I don't get the "no refrigerator" thing. by argStyopa · · Score: 3, Funny

    I mean, either suit up and stick anything in the shadow of the ISS and it'll be cold pretty darn quick, or mount a metal box flush with any exposed bulkhead directly connected to the skin of the ISS on the shadowed side - you'll have a bloody cold little cupboard in no time.

    I mean, it's not like it's rocket science. Well, wait...

    --
    -Styopa
  72. Extent of orbital normality by apsmith · · Score: 2, Informative

    I recently attended a talk by a NASA education guy on the subject of living in space - on the shuttle and ISS. For the most part, it's really not that different from what you might expect; the main problem is not so much things intrinsic to zero gravity (though there's some of that with liquids, crumbs, etc.) but that NASA generally skimps on the sort of amenities you might think the astronauts could use. For example, there was no "table" on ISS, until the crew up there built one out of some surplus supplies. And, similarly, no refrigerator or freezer. Things will be quite different once the first space hotel goes up.

    --

    Energy: time to change the picture.

    1. Re:Extent of orbital normality by Minna+Kirai · · Score: 1

      For example, there was no "table" on ISS

      A "table" is a machine which prevents objects from responding to gravity's pull. In a situation with no noticable gravitational force, tables are meaningless... unless augmented with magnets or velcro.

  73. Urine through nano filters? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Does NASA put urine through a nano filter so the water component can be drinked again?

  74. When will the president visit for Thanksgiving? by WoTG · · Score: 1

    Who cares what they ate at ISS, I wanna know when they're going to have guests for Thanksgiving. =)

  75. Meat... by Any+Web+Loco · · Score: 1

    I'd be interested in seeing how well octupi developed in 0-g conditions. Octupi (like squid) grow & multiply at phenonmenal rates (they're probably the only realistically "sustainable" ocean food resource). High in nutritional value, fast growing, versatile... I'm curious.

  76. I volunteer to eat a girl in space! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Its never been done before!

  77. um no by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    theres a flaw in your theory

    "have you heard of the klingon proverb that revenge is a dish best served cold... it is very cold, IN SPACE...." -wrath of KAHHHN

    so there!

  78. Tortillas in, tortillas out by stotterj · · Score: 1

    Nowhere in this piece of press release is there mention of the end result of eating in space: pooping in space. I could only find links to press release material about the toilet, though, too.

    1. Re:Tortillas in, tortillas out by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      When you go poo in space does the crap float around and touch your bum? It could really be messy if you had diarrhea. Space toilets should have an air stream that carries fecal matter away from your bum. If space toilets emptied straight out into space using a small hole the suction would be enough to make sure astronauts bums are not dirtied by floating fecal matter. Floating fecal matter in space would eventually burn up in the atmosphere.

    2. Re:Tortillas in, tortillas out by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Who's job is it anyways to clean the ISS toilet? I can just imagine the arguments, "I didn't come up into outer space to clean toilets"!!! "don't expect me to do it" "you plugged it, fix it"

  79. IN SOVIET RUSSIA... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    "I for one" uses YOU!

  80. stupid cultural elitism by K. · · Score: 1

    I doubt that they're eating anything specifically for Thanksgiving, seeing as none of them are from the US. (Michael Foale doesn't count, even if the UK does look more and more like the 51s state lately.)

    --
    -- Proud descendant of semi-nomadic cattle-herders.
  81. Question... by lucifer_666 · · Score: 1
    I've heard this before, and it caused me to ponder the following question...

    What's the difference between someone floating due to orbit, or floating due to a true lack of gravity, ie. in an imaginary space ship thats out out out past the edge of the solar system, past that whats-it-called point where voyger is.... Would the sensation "feel" the same? Would it "look" the same?

  82. Re:No Turkey is probably good (OT) by DGolden · · Score: 1

    What the hell is brining? I've now got a hideous mental image of a shrivelled turkey floating in a large jar of saltwater....

    --
    Choice of masters is not freedom.
  83. Ever hear of Apollo 13? by jmichaelg · · Score: 1

    Even a dewar flask isn't a perfect insulator. On Apollo 13, one of the survival problems the astronauts had was just keeping warm enough. There wasn't enough fuel to spin the craft after the oxy tank exploded to keep the temperatures evenly distributed across the LEM. The astronauts got very cold as a result.

  84. Somewhat insulting title.. by Jondo · · Score: 1

    The title, "Thanksgiving in space", quite erked me when I read it.

    I am at a loss as to what the article writers were thinking. Its called the "International Space Station", but they've made such a blatant disregard for any other culture than US culture here.

    Sure, Americans celebrate thanksgiving on November 27'th... but does any other nationality?

    Canada celebrates it more than a month earlier, on October 13'th.

    And I'm willing to wager a hefty sum that Russian culture DOES NOT CELEBRATE THANKSGIVING on *either* of those dates, if at all.

    -Just a pissed off non-us /. reader.

  85. Eating in zero gravity by paraleet · · Score: 1

    There's some video clips here showing the [astro|cosmo]nauts eating various unedible looking substances. There's also some shorts on the preparation of spacefood. All in all the stuff seems really noxious (we all know the freeze-dried icecream from museum stores is god-awful). I think the next ISS module should be a soul food shack. Am I the only one who wonders what the *nauts do when dinner doesn't sit well? Do you suppose Febreeze works in space?

    To change the subject...
    If NASA is so worried about errant crumbs perhaps they should spend a few million bucks researching a dustbuster that works in zero gravity instead of funding magnetic resonance imaging research into why their (crumb-free) tortillas taste bitter after six months on the shelf.

    --
    LEARNING, n. The kind of ignorance distinguishing the studious. A. Bierce, The Devil's Dictionary
  86. TV! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Don't they get satellite TV? :P

  87. No fridge? by Quixadhal · · Score: 1
    For example, there is no refrigerator or freezer aboard the Station, so food must remain good for long periods at room temperature.
    ...or you could just put larger quantities in shielded canisters and leave them outside the station in the shade?

    I mean, if you're careful to make sure the container isn't air-tight, it would even be vacuum packed. How much better preservation do you need?

    Admittedly, the walk out to the fridge isn't one you'll make when you wake up at 3am wanting a snack...