What's on the Menu for Gaganyaan, India's First Manned Mission

In 1961, Yuri Gagarin became the first person to eat in outer space. His historic meal aboard the Vostok 1 Tubes of pureed beef and liver, followed by chocolate sauce for dessert. Cut to 60 years later, and the Indian astronauts aboard Gaganyaan, our first manned mission, will be spoilt for choice. Reportedly, the proposed crew may have between 24 to 30 desi food items on board when the spacecraft takes off in December 2021 for a week-long flight. 

According to news reports, an expansive menu has been prepared for the astronauts who will set off on Gaganyaan. As of now, it looks mostly vegetarian, with egg kathi rolls, vegetable kathi rolls, idli with sambar and coconut chutney, moong dal halwa, and vegetable pulao. 

The traditional Indian menu has been prepared by the Defence Food Research Laboratory (DFRL), which is based out of Mysuru and works under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The mission will also provide the astronauts with a heater for all the dried foods. "We are keeping our food items mildly spiced, though there will be extra spice sachets for those who want them,'' said D Semwal, Director, DFRL. The packaged food will be desiccated, requiring the addition of water to reconstitute them into an edible form. 

As of January 2020, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has shortlisted four test pilots from the Indian Air Force for Gaganyaan. They will receive training in India and Russia from the third week of January, and the mission is expected to cost Rs 10,000 crore.

With inputs from ANI