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Space cakes: ISS astronauts to begin baking in orbit
Astronauts aboard the ISS will soon be able to bake their own zero gravity chocolate chip cookies, bringing some much needed home comfort to low orbit. But there’s a catch...
The Zero G Oven is expected to be delivered to the International Space Station (ISS) by Northrop Grumman's Cygnus capsule, which will launch on Saturday, all going to plan. The electric oven can reach temperatures of up to 177 degrees Celsius (350 F), twice as hot as the space station’s current cooking capacity.
The cookie dough itself was delivered this summer frozen in plastic bags, resembling hockey pucks more than baked treats. Once baked, they are predicted to look either like a blob or a mini pancake after being cooked in the zero gravity environment.
"Baking doesn't always go according to plan, even on the ground," said Nanorack manager Mary Murphy, from the company that designed and built the oven.
So beautiful to see this, especially with our oven aboard. Loading of the Cygnus for last-minute items! Maybe more cookies?
