3-2-1-Cookoff! Astronauts to bake cookies with new test oven
NASA VIA ASSOCIATED PRESS
The Northrop Grumman Antares rocket is seen Tuesday a few hours after arriving at its launch pad at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. The rocket is scheduled for liftoff on Saturday.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
This photo from Hilton shows a Zero G Kitchen Space Oven. The next delivery of supplies for the International Space Station, scheduled for liftoff on Saturday, includes the device. Chocolate chip cookie dough is already up there, waiting to pop into this small electric oven designed for zero gravity.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. >> Forget reheated, freeze-dried space grub. Astronauts are about to get a new test oven for baking chocolate chip cookies from scratch.
The next delivery to the International Space Station — scheduled for liftoff this weekend — includes the Zero G Oven. Chocolate chip cookie dough is already up there, waiting to pop into this small electric oven designed for zero gravity.
Sample cookies baked just this week are also launching from Virginia on Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus capsule, for the six station astronauts.
The experiment explores the possibility of making freshly baked items for space travelers. With NASA eyeing trips to the moon and Mars, homemade food takes on heightened importance. What’s in orbit now are essentially food warmers.
Collaborators include the oven maker Nanoracks and DoubleTree hotels.
