BENGALURU: With over a year left for the launch of the Gaganyaan mission, training of the chosen Gaganyatris has started and preparation of the spacecraft has gained momentum. The food the Gaganyatris will carry with them is also being planned.
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research - Central Food Technology Research Institute (CSIR-CFTRI) officials in Dehradun and Mysuru are working on special menus for the four chosen astronauts on the mission, scheduled for launch in 2027.
Discussions are on with Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to craft nutritious wholesome meals which occupy meagre space.
In 2024, the names of Group Captains Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair, Shubhanshu Shukla, Angad Pratap and Ajit Krishnan were announced for the Gaganyaan mission. Shukla and Nair were also part of the Axiom-4 space mission that concluded on July 15. Shukla was the mission pilot, and also the first Indian to spend 20 days in space, with 18 days on the International Space Station.
A CSIR-CFTRI official said, “The biggest challenge we are facing is similar to what every Indian suffers, no matter how well trained. Food should not just be nutritious but also sumptuous and wholesome. It should excite the taste buds and fill the stomach. Indians are particular about taste, so food should be good and have the required calories. Dairy and frozen products are ideal, but the form (shape and taste) is being worked on.”
The laboratory recently developed millet tablets, where four pills can be taken as a meal and ensure a complete diet. Twelve pills (four pills, three times a day) meet the day’s nutrition requirements, but this alone is not sufficient for astronauts. The team is working on paratha pills and conducting tests on powdered form or reformulated Indian dishes like sambar-rice, dosa and chapati. Formulations are being created without compromising on quality and aesthetics.
The official said inputs will be taken from Shukla, who returned to India on August 16. Though Shukla had carried gajar ka halwa, moong dal halwa, vegetable biryani, dal, rajma-rice, khichdi, roti and mango nectar to space, he said he missed his food.