Russian Space Food—NASA FTCSC News, October 2003

Currently, the Russian Space Agency provides half of the food consumed on the International Space Station (ISS), with NASA supplying the other half. The Russian space food system has some notable differences from NASA’s food system, including where their food is produced, packaging of foods, and the types of foods included in the space food system.

While the majority of U.S. space food is procured from commercial sources, the Russian Defense Department produces most of the Russian food. Quality control of Russian commercial food is not considered adequate for use in the space program, especially since Russia has extensive borders and many imported sources.

Russian food packages have not changed much over the years. Packages from 1972 look similar and function the same as 2003 packages. The U.S. discontinued the use of space food in tubes in the early 1970s. Russia has used tubes continually, but is now beginning to phase them out. Most of the Russian thermostabilized foods are packaged in metal cans, while the U.S. uses retort pouches almost exclusively.

Preservation methods for Russian food is comparable to that of Shuttle food but different materials and packages are used. Preservation methods consist mostly of dehydration, thermostabilization, and intermediate moisture. Packaging includes metal tubes, cans, and plastic over-wrapped in foil.

Russian cans are steel, require a can opener, and come in two sizes: large (4 inches in diameter x 1.5 inches high) and small (2 7/8 inches in diameter x 1.25 inches high). In addition to steel cans, the Russians use a plastic packaging material for dehydrated and intermediate moisture foods. They do not have sufficient barrier properties for extended shelf life, so the plastic packaging material is over-wrapped with a foil material to extend the shelf life.

The Service Module that contains the ISS galley is provided by Russia and is designed to accommodate Russian food packages. The Russian galley dining table has slots for heating foods that are sized to fit both can sizes, tubes, and the bread packages.

Cultural differences between the two food systems include the lack of any typical American breakfast foods and increased quantities of fish in the Russian menu. Some of their breakfast items include perch, both pickled and spiced, and foxberry juice, a mixture of wild cranberry and buckwheat gruel. Several thermostabilized and dehydrated cottage cheese items appear in the menu, mostly with fruit. And of course we cannot have Russian food without borsch.

	Cosmonaut Meal Circa 1970s NASA Photo
	Cosmonaut Meal Today NASA Photo
	Stowage Tray with Russian Foods FTCSC Photo