Freeze-dried ice cream
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Freeze-dried ice cream, also known as astronaut ice cream[1] or space ice cream, is a brick of dehydrated ice cream that is always ready to eat, with no need for refrigeration. It was developed by Whirlpool Corporation under contract to NASA for the Apollo missions.[2]
Apollo 7 in 1968 was the only NASA mission on which space ice cream flew in outer space.[3] According to a NASA food scientist, although freeze-dried ice cream was developed on request, "[i]t wasn't that popular."[4] Skylab had a refrigerator that was used for real ice cream,[5] and occasionally shuttle and International Space Station astronauts have enjoyed real ice cream.[6]
Freeze drying (or lyophilization) removes water from the ice cream by lowering the air pressure to a point where ice shifts from a solid to a gas. The ice cream is placed in a vacuum chamber and frozen until the water crystallizes. The air pressure is lowered, creating a partial vacuum, forcing air out of the chamber; next heat is applied, vaporizing the ice; finally a freezing coil traps the vaporized water. This process continues for hours, resulting in a freeze-dried ice cream slice.
Freeze-dried foods were developed so that foods could be sent on long-duration spaceflights, as to the Moon, and to reduce the weight of the water and oxygen normally found in food.[2]
Freeze-dried ice cream is ubiquitous in science museum gift shops, sometimes accompanied by other freeze-dried foods such as ice-cream sandwiches, various sliced fruits, and even pizza. It is even sold by mail-order, and is a "top five seller" at the Kennedy Space Center gift shop.[7]
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- ^ This phrase is also a trademark of American Outdoor Products, Inc. [1]
- ^ a b "Space Food" (PDF). NASA. http://lsda.jsc.nasa.gov/lsda_data/nra_research_data/1994_space_food.pdf. Retrieved on 2007-06-07. The license is now held by Action Products International, Inc.
- ^ "NASA Spinoff homepage". NASA. http://www.sti.nasa.gov/tto/. Retrieved on 2007-06-07.
- ^ "A Holiday Dinner in Space". NASA. December 15, 2005. http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/informal/features/F_Holiday_Dinner_in_Space_prt.htm. Retrieved on 2007-06-07.
- ^ "History of Food in Space". NASA. http://liftoff.msfc.nasa.gov/academy/astronauts/food-history.html. Retrieved on 2007-06-07.
- ^ "Orbital Ice Cream, Atlantis’ ISS Surprise". LiveScience.com. 2006-09-16. http://www.livescience.com/blogs/2006/09/16/orbital-ice-cream-atlantis-iss-surprise/. Retrieved on 2007-06-07.
- ^ "Astronaut Ice Cream -- Cookies and Cream". Kennedy Space Center. http://www.thespaceshop.com/neopicecream.html. Retrieved on 2007-06-07.
