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Topic: Identifying flown from unflown space food
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proxima1 New Member Posts: 8 From: San Jose, CA Registered: May 2015
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posted 07-09-2015 01:43 PM
From the "early days" of the auctions I picked up an Apollo food packet that was stated to have flown on Apollo 8. Provenance was shaky back then, so I am wondering if flown food has any sort of markers different than that of training or sample food packets. It does have a blue swatch of velcro, which would have been for Anders if it flew. |
Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 42981 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 07-09-2015 01:50 PM
While the lack of colored velcro or other labels can possibly indicate training or unflown food, I am unaware of any marking or feature that can positively identify a package as flown.Unfortunately, given that the food was considered expendable, serial no. records were discarded after every mission. |
rgarner Member Posts: 1193 From: Shepperton, United Kingdom Registered: Mar 2012
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posted 08-15-2015 11:01 AM
Is there a reference guide to finding out if food packets were actually flown? I have wondered this for some time. I'm looking at a Gemini Project food packet which reads "Series No. FD 233".Any clues? Editor's note: Threads merged. |
Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 42981 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 08-15-2015 11:02 AM
To my knowledge (as noted earlier), the serial no. records for space food were not retained past their missions. |
rgarner Member Posts: 1193 From: Shepperton, United Kingdom Registered: Mar 2012
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posted 08-15-2015 11:03 AM
Troublesome indeed, thanks Robert.The one I am looking at has a small piece of white velcro attached. I'm still looking for a Mercury, Gemini and Apollo flown food pack! |
chet Member Posts: 1506 From: Beverly Hills, Calif. Registered: Nov 2000
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posted 08-18-2015 01:03 PM
Robert, how do you know the serial numbers were discarded? And was this the policy for most/all equipment, or just food packets? |
Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 42981 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 08-18-2015 01:32 PM
The fate of the food records is based on discussions with those who worked in the food lab and subsequent (futile) searches through the various NASA history archives. It seems to have been a practice limited to the food. And that makes sense, as once the mission was over, there was no operational need to continue to track the food items. |
SkyMan1958 Member Posts: 867 From: CA. Registered: Jan 2011
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posted 08-18-2015 02:10 PM
In the Apollo 12 Flight Plan there are three tabs/pages at the end of the plan. It seems reasonable that each of the Apollo Flight Plans would have something comparable. Each tab/page is the "Food Log" for one of the crew members. Each log page has a list of meals for each day, with the contents of each meal. Those parts of the meal that the astronaut ate they put a checkmark next to. One would assume that any part of a meal that did NOT have a checkmark next to it (Conrad wrote "No") would potentially be available as a flown food item. For example on Day 3, Meal C (e.g. dinner), Conrad potentially could have had; salmon salad, chicken stew, butterscotch pudding, peaches and grapefruit drink. There is a checkmark next to each of the items, except for peaches, which has a "No" written next to it. One would assume that theoretically these peaches would have been available for sale as a flown item some years later when Conrad started to sell things off. |
Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 42981 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 08-18-2015 03:56 PM
Correct me if I am wrong though, the Flight Plans only identify food by type, not by serial number. |
SkyMan1958 Member Posts: 867 From: CA. Registered: Jan 2011
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posted 08-18-2015 04:57 PM
You are correct Robert, the food is only identified by type, not serial number.These logs would at least be a first filter for potentially flown food, e.g. if the food type in question is not in the log, or if all the ones in the log are shown to have been eaten, then you would know if that food is offered for sale as flown, that it would be incorrect. |
Hart Sastrowardoyo Member Posts: 3445 From: Toms River, NJ Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 08-18-2015 05:03 PM
quote: Originally posted by Robert Pearlman: And that makes sense, as once the mission was over, there was no operational need to continue to track the food items.
The food also has a limited "shelf life," no? Where past a certain date it couldn't be consumed? I would think the records were discarded because also the expectation would be the food would also be discarded, and not reflown on a future flight. |
Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 42981 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 08-18-2015 05:09 PM
To my knowledge (and I may be mistaken), the food was prepared on a mission by mission basis, for use on a specific mission. |
Guswastheman Member Posts: 85 From: Gresham, OR Registered: Apr 2011
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posted 08-03-2018 03:35 PM
Looking to see if there is any information on Apollo flown food packages. Is there a way to confirm that a particular food package was flown and if so, which mission? All help greatly appreciated. Editor's note: Threads merged. |