Space food (46 samples), organic/metal/plastic/paper, Exhibition Centre, USSR/Russian Academy of Sciences, USSR, pre-1985
46 samples of Soviet/Russian space food, of the type eaten by cosmonauts on Soyuz spacecraft and the Salyut space stations. Some of the items are genuine meals, some are empty packaging, representing that particular type of space food.
-1 plastic-capped empty metal tube, with decorative label in Russian and English, 'Harcho soup, 165g'
-2 plastic-capped empty metal tube, with decorative label in Russian and English, 'cottage cheese with cranberry puree'
-3 plastic-capped empty metal tube, with purple label in Russian, 'cottage cheese with blackberry puree'
-4 circular metal tin, empty, with paper label in Russian and English, 'chicken pasty, 100g'
-5 circular metal tin, empty, with paper label in Russian and English, 'tiny sausages, 100g'
-6 circular metal tin, empty, with paper label in Russian and English, 'chopped bacon, 100g'
-7 sealed plastic packet containing food, labelled in Russian in green, 'cottage cheese with wild starwberries, 50g'
-8 plastic-capped empty metal tube, with decorative label in Russian, 'Russian mustard'
-9 plastic-capped empty metal tube, with decorative label in Russian, 'apple cranberry sauce'
-10 plastic-capped empty metal tube, with decorative label in Russian, 'red bilberry puree'
-11 plastic-capped empty metal tube, with decorative label in Russian, 'caviar'
-12 plastic packet containing 10 miniature loaves of bread, labelled in Russian in brown, 'wheat bread, 45g'
-13 plastic packet containing 10 miniature loaves of dark bread, labelled in Russian in brown, 'bread'
-14 plastic packet containing 10 miniature loaves of bread, labelled in Russian in brown, 'table bread'
-15 foil packet containing 8 rectangular biscuits, labelled in Russian in brown, 'Russian biscuit'
-16 plastic packet containing 8 rectangular brown biscuits, labelled in Russian in red and white, 'sugar biscuit'
-17 sealed plastic packet containing food, labelled in Russian in yellow, 'sweet peas with creamy dressing, 50g'
-18 sealed plastic packet containing food, labelled in Russian in yellow 'wild strawberries with sugar'
-19 sealed plastic packet containing food, labelled in Russian in yellow, 'stewed/braised cabbage'
-20 sealed plastic packet containing food, labelled in Russian in red, 'pork sirloin with potato puree'
-21 sealed plastic packet containing food, labelled in Russian in red 'roast beef with potato puree'
-22 sealed plastic packet containing food, labelled in Russian in blue, 'peasant soup'
-23 sealed plastic packet containing food, labelled in Russian in red, 'vegetable ragout with meat'
-24 sealed plastic packet containing food, labelled in Russian, 'coffee with sugar'
-25 sealed plastic packet containing tea bag and sugar, labelled in Russian, 'tea with sugar'
-26 sealed plastic packet containing food, labelled in Russian in yellow, 'horseraddish sauce'
-27 sealed plastic packet containing food, labelled in Russian in yellow, 'potato puree'
-28 sealed plastic packet containing food, labelled in Russian in yellow, 'buckwheat porridge'
-29 sealed plastic packet containing food, labelled in Russian in blue, 'Harcho soup'
-30 sealed plastic packet containing drink mix, labelled in Russian in red and white, 'cherry juice with pulp'
-31 sealed plastic packet containing drink mix, labelled in Russian in purple and white, 'blackberry juice with pulp'
-32 sealed plastic packet containing drink mix, labelled in Russian in orange and white, 'grape and plum juice with pulp'
-33 sealed plastic packet containing drink mix, labelled in Russian in yellow and white 'apple juice with pulp'
-34 sealed plastic packet containing food, labelled in Russian in gold and white, 'fruit yoghurt (with fruit juice)'
-35 sealed plastic packet containing food, labelled in Russian in blue, 'vegetable soup puree'
-36 circular metal tin, empty, with paper label, blue print in Russian and English, 'pike perch a la Pologne, 100g'
-37 circular metal tin, empty, with paper label, red print in Russian and English, 'chicken with prunes, 100g'
-38 circular metal tin, empty, with paper label, black print in Russian and English, 'carbonade, 100g'
-39 circular metal tin, empty, with paper label, black print in Russian and English, 'entrecote, 100g'
-40 circular metal tin, empty, with paper label, black print in Russian and English, 'liver paste, 100g'
-41 circular metal tin, empty, with paper label, green print in Russian and English, 'Yantar cheese, 100g'
-42 circular metal tin, empty, with paper label, red print in Russian and English, 'boned chicken, 100g'
-43 circular metal tin, empty, with paper label, green print in Russian and English, 'cheese Rossijsky, 100g'
-44 circular metal tin, empty, with paper label, black print in Russian and English, 'ham, 100g'
-45 circular metal tin, empty, with paper label, black print in Russian and English, 'Estonian meat puree, 100g'
-46 circular metal tin, empty, with paper label, green print in Russian and English, 'cheese Liele, 100g'

Soviet/ Russian space food was and is developed by nutritionists and doctors at the Institute for Biomedical Problems, one of the space research institutes under the control of the Soviet/Russian Academy of Sciences. The first food was eaten in space on the Vostok-2 mission 6 August, 1961. Since that time, research and experimentation has gradually improved the quality, taste and nutritional value of Soviet/ Russian space food.

Space food is specifically developed to be eaten in the microgravity environment in orbit: it is compact, for easy storage, treated to prevent spoilage in an unrefrigerated environment, and held in special containers designed to reduce the possibility of floating crumbs, which can be a hazard to electrical circuits and equipment. Most space food is designed to be rehydrated before eating. Cosmonaut and astronaut meals are specially fortified with the vitamins and minerals that the body loses in weightlessness and are planned to provide a regular calorie intake each day. Space food is designed to be low-residue, to reduce bowel movement and flatulence.

The reproduction food containers were manufactured at an un-named factory, presumably the one that produces the genuine food containers for the Soviet/Russian space program. The samples of original space foods were manufactured in the food processing facilities associated with the Institue of Biomedical Problems.

No information has ever been provided by the USSR/Russian Academy of Sciences as to the actual date of any of items loaned to the museum. The proposed date is a best estimate, based on the evidence of prior display, before the material came to the Powerhouse.

The reproduction food containers were made by the Soviet Academy of Sciences for use in exhibitions about the Soviet space program, mounted outside the USSR. It is not known what previous exhibitions they may have been used in. Space food has been consumed on every Soviet/Russian space flight since Vostok-2 in 1961. Cosmonauts on orbital missions select daily 4-meal menus from the available choices (over 100 different selections), balanced to ensure that they receive adequate calorie and vitamin intake. Space stations are launched with a supply of space foods stored on board, with additional supplies of processed space foods and fresh food being ferried up by Soyuz spacecraft or Progress automated supply vessels. The US Space Shuttle has also been used to resupply the Mir space station. Cosmonauts on board the space stations construct their own 4 meal per day menus from the available selections of fresh and processed space foods.
Originally owned by the USSR Academy of Sciences. Loaned to the museum in 1987 as part of L2046. This entire collection was purchased by the museum in 1996.

Purchased 1997

See individual part records for details

97/2/14

1980