Italy’s culinary arts arrive in space, thanks to Argotec. The company’s young engineers, working with Italian chefs and astronauts, have created a “Space Food Lab” in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA) and its Italian counterpart (ASI). The Argotec team has developed a special menu of “bonus food” designed specifically for each European astronaut for consumption on the International Space Station (ISS) during long-term missions.
An espresso in space
“The initial idea behind the project was to bring a little bit of our nation onto the ISS”, explained Argotec managing director David Avino. “Our menus are based on ‘food for grand occasions’, and are intended to help our astronauts feel closer to home and allow them to share our cuisine with their international colleagues”.
Luca Parmitano, Italian astronaut and Ambassador for the Italian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, was also involved in the project. The next step? To bring true Italian coffee to the ISS. With the help of Lavazza and the ASI, the space station astronauts will soon be able to enjoy an excellent espresso as the perfect finishing touch to their Italian meal. Read more, in Italian.