It may finally give astronauts something with flavor to eat

May 21, 2013 10:00 GMT  ·  By

One would think that food would remain the one thing beyond the capabilities of 3D printing, since it screams too much synthetic nourishment, but certain people high up beg to differ.

And by certain people high up, we mean NASA. That's right, NASA wants 3D-printed food to become a reality, and soon.

Quite a big leap from 3D-Printed shoes with phone cases and 3D-Printed guns.

Right now, NASA is thinking that, with the correct substances, it should be possible to create 3D-printed meals.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is going to start with pizza, of all things.

NASA has tasked Anjan Contractor to create a 3D printing process that can churn out slices of yeast-less bread with cheese and bacon.

Well, maybe not bacon, because it's already hard enough to turn pink flesh paste into decent-looking food, but still.

The crust would be printed first, followed by the sauce, then some type of protein.

In theory, it would allow astronauts to order whatever type of pizza they want while floating around at zero gravity, in orbit.

NASA is investing $125,000 / €97,064 in the project and hopes for a prototype to be completed in six months.

Besides astronauts, 3D-printed food could also become a solution in the future, when the planet becomes even more overpopulated than it is now. Ingredient cartridges would be sold at stores (basic powdered ingredients) and would have a very long shelf life.

“Long distance space travel requires 15-plus years of shelf life,” Contractor said. “The way we are working on it is, all the carbs, proteins and macro and micro nutrients are in powder form. We take moisture out, and in that form it will last maybe 30 years.”

In theory, physical reproduction of more sophisticated foodstuffs should be possible. Now we just have to sit back and hope Contractor gets the flavors right. It wouldn't do to end up eating chicken that tastes like fish or, worse, paint.