Weightless living

On the Earth, gravity helps keep us in shape. In just going up a flight of stairs, we burn calories and exercise muscles.

Everything is different in space. You can’t walk; you can only float about, weightless. There are no stairs, and, for that matter, no up or down. Because the body weighs nothing, an astronaut uses little energy to move about. So an astronaut in space needs less food and energy than on Earth. A stay in space can feel like a long slenderising session, because astronauts aren’t allowed to eat as much as they want.

Nutritionists and food experts are essential in the ground crew for astronauts. Meals are planned and made months before they are consumed. The food must be good and tasty, so the astronauts don’t tire of it, and be nutritious so they stay healthy.

"Astronaut food" was long dull, but now nutritionists offer tasty new meals almost weekly. Astronauts come from many countries, so national dishes help make them feel at home when they are in space.