- Freeze-dried ice cream
Freeze-dried ice cream, also known as astronaut ice cream [This phrase is also a trademark of American Outdoor Products, Inc. [http://www.backpackerspantry.com/prodinfo.asp?number=130001] ] 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 byWhirlpool Corporation under contract toNASA for the Apollo missions.cite web
url=http://lsda.jsc.nasa.gov/lsda_data/nra_research_data/1994_space_food.pdf
title=Space Food
publisher=NASA
accessdate=2007-06-07 The license is now held by Action Products International, Inc.]Apollo 7 in 1968 was the only NASA mission on which space ice cream flew inouter space . [cite web
url=http://www.sti.nasa.gov/tto/
title=NASA Spinoff homepage
publisher=NASA
accessdate=2007-06-07] According to a NASAfood scientist , although freeze-dried ice cream was developed on request, " [i] t wasn't that popular." [cite web
url=http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/informal/features/F_Holiday_Dinner_in_Space_prt.htm
title=A Holiday Dinner in Space
date=December 15 2005
author=
publisher=NASA
accessdate=2007-06-07] Skylab had a refrigerator that was used for real ice cream, [cite web
url=http://liftoff.msfc.nasa.gov/academy/astronauts/food-history.html
title=History of Food in Space
publisher=NASA
accessdate=2007-06-07] and occasionally shuttle andInternational Space Station astronauts have enjoyed real ice cream. [cite news
url=http://www.livescience.com/blogs/2006/09/16/orbital-ice-cream-atlantis-iss-surprise/
title=Orbital Ice Cream, Atlantis’ ISS Surprise
publisher=LiveScience.com
date=2006-09-16
accessdate=2007-06-07]Freeze drying (or lyophilization) removes water from the ice cream by lowering the air pressure to a point where ice shifts from asolid to agas . 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.
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 bymail-order , and is a "top five seller" at theKennedy Space Center gift shop. [cite web
url=http://www.thespaceshop.com/neopicecream.html
title=Astronaut Ice Cream -- Cookies and Cream
publisher=Kennedy Space Center
accessdate=2007-06-07]ee also
*
Space food References
External links
* [http://www.astronautfoods.co.uk Edu-Sci Ltd - European Distributor of Official Astronaut Foods]
* [http://www.theprofessorstastytechnology.com.au/crunchy-ice-cream.html The Australian version, called "Crunchy Ice Cream", is made by The Professors' Tasty Technology Pty Ltd.]
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