Currently, there are approximately 400 types of space food approved by NASA, Roscosmos, and JAXA. Since the advent of the commercial space travel era in 2021, the number of civilians traveling to space has been increasing, and with it, the variety of space food is expected to expand significantly. Among the challenges of space food development, one of the most difficult to consume in a microgravity environment is noodle dishes with liquid-based soup, such as ramen. The space ramen currently certified by JAXA consists of spherical noodles and thickened soup. While the taste resembles traditional ramen, the texture and eating experience are entirely different from that on Earth. To address this issue, ASTRAX has been developing various technologies to allow long-term space travelers to enjoy familiar foods in a way that closely replicates their terrestrial experience. The development of space ramen is a crucial part of this initiative. Such advancements are expected to play a significant role in the evolving era of commercial space travel by reducing stress for travelers and enhancing their enjoyment of food. This paper explores methods for consuming noodle dishes with soup in microgravity and discusses future development plans.
国際宇宙航行連盟(IAF)が主催し、年に1度、開催される、宇宙業界では世界最大の国際会議です。2024年は、2024年10月14日から18日までイタリアのミラノで、イタリア航空宇宙協会(AIDAA)がホストを務め、「Responsible Space for Sustainability」をテーマに、第75回国際宇宙会議(IAC 2024)が開催されました。 会期中120カ国から11,200人以上が参加し、前例のない新記録となり、最大規模のIACとなっただけでなく、我々の銀河系で最も多様な宇宙関係者の集まりの一つとなりました。さらに、3000人がオンラインでライブストリーミングに参加し、一般公開日にはさらに3500人のあらゆる年齢層が参加しました。