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Space Science

Space Ramen! 45

Posted by michael from the that's-using-your-noodle dept.
Tetsujin28 writes "Nissin Foods Products has agreed to collaborate with NASDA (Japan's space agency) to create instant ramen for use on Japan's ISS module, to be launched beginning in 2004. (Fun detail: the NASDA research module is named Kibo.)" Eating ramen in zero-gee has got to be an interesting trick.
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Space Ramen! More

Space Ramen!

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  • No metion of the price of these, but one can figure they'd be a bit more than the 3 for a buck deal you get at your local 7eleven...:)
  • I wonder how soon it will be before this is marketed to the general public, although I see no reason why people can't just survive on ice cream. [kopes.com]
  • Here is a link with a little more info, I personally don't think cabbage flavored ramen and weightlessness would really go together, but I am not Japanese. http://www.space.com/news/space_ram_020415.html [space.com]
    • Notably, Kim Chi tastes very little like cabbage. Or very much of anything generally deemed edible, for that matter.
      • Kimchi *is* (pickled, spiced) cabbage.

        It doesn't have any choice but to taste like (pickled, spiced) cabbage.

        That's like saying that a poached egg doesn't taste much like an egg :)

        Of course, whether or not it's *good* is another question. I like kimchi, but a lot of people don't -- it tends to dominate the scent environment of one's kitchen / apartment / house / city block / zip code. Plus, I once saw a friend discover a rather nasty bug in his kimchi. Unfortunately this was in a cafeteria, and everyone at the table had some from the same serving tray ... I don't think we finished much of our kimchi that day.

        timothy
        • It is only a tautology if you know what kimchi is. There is no a priori notion of kimchi. If asked, "What is kimchi?" The answer would be: "A Korean delicacy made with spiced, pickled cabbage." Also, does the word "kimchi" translate as "spice, pickled cabbage?"
          • (partly invalidating my previous post, but oh well)

            Lots of veggies can be picked spicily and made into types of kimchi -- probably my favorite is actually oy kimchi, made from cucumber.

            But "kimchi" by itself -- Yeah, unless context dictates otherwise (which it could), I would translate this as the cabbage variety. I think it would be fair to compare this with "toast" (as a noun) ... lots of things can be toasted, but the primary meaning would still be "toasted bread."

            This is making me so hungry for some I can feel the saliva filling my mouth. Arrgh! A bunch of Korean food and a large bowl of rice would greatly improve my situation right now.

            timothy

  • But HOW (to eat)? (Score:2, Insightful)

    by kasnol ( 210803 )
    I know there are 2 types of raman u can eat in Japan, one is hot soup based and one is where you eat it cold (dip into soya-sauce).

    However in space if u eat it with hot soup, you can't really "pick" it up from zero grav, nor can you dip it into the sauce first then eat, which is where all the fun is.

    Further more you need to pick them up using chopsticks ?

    or maybe the final product will be straw ("slurp") based, who knows ? :)
    But then it won't be raman anymore ...

    Hope there are futher info on the final product when it is implemented in future.

    • Re:But HOW (to eat)? (Score:1, Informative)

      by Anonymous Coward
      one is where you eat it cold (dip into soya-sauce)

      Methinks you've confused soba or somen with ramen.

      There is hiyashi chuuka which is cold, but it isn't dipped in anything.

  • Texas style ramen / Cereal Ramen (Score:3, Informative)

    by Veramocor ( 262800 ) on Thursday April 18, 2002 @02:09AM (#3363684)
    For the true ramen experience.

    1.Cook your ramen (microwave or stovetop), do not mix in the packet.

    2.Drain all water out of ramen.

    3.The mix in the packet.

    4. eat ramen, with milk nearbye in case your mouth starts to burn

    5. enjoy

    6. for more flavor use 2 packets per one ramen serving.

    Now you might think I'm kidding but i used to eat ramen like this back in the day.

    for cereal ramen just eat the ramen uncooked! Use the extra packet for texas style ramen above!!
  • Why have you abandoned me, Maruchan!? O_o;
    • heh. reminds me of part of a song i wrote in college that shows my preference of maruchan over top ramen (which i believe is made by nissin. i don't know because i'm a maruchan loyalist):

      buy maruchan/
      don't rock the top/
      only rock the chan/
      coz the chan's got chop
  • I'm waiting for pull-string instant noodles, like in the Cowboy Bebop movies. 3 minutes in the microwave is way too long to wait.

  • It's All in the Noodles (Score:3, Funny)

    by megabulk3000 ( 305530 ) on Thursday April 18, 2002 @03:24AM (#3363885) Homepage
    Washington (April 18) -- In a major step to validate new technology for the X-33 Reusable Noodle Vehicle (RNV) Program, NASA will test samples of two advanced Nissin Top Ramen flavors on the Space Shuttle Columbia as it re-enters the atmosphere at the end of its current mission. Landing is currently scheduled for Saturday morning at the Kennedy Space Center, with two windows of opportunity - either 7:24 or 8:59 a.m Eastern Time.

    "NASA's RNV program is innovating new and better ways to protect space ramen from high temperatures experienced during reentry through the atmosphere," said Lori Garver, Executive Director of the National Space Society. "The new technology is being designed to dramatically reduce the time and cost of reconstituting between RNV flights."

    The Space Shuttle requires an army of personnel to inspect and replace damaged noodles after each mission. For the RNV program, NASA is working in partnership with private industry to create a new noodle protection system that is non-soggy and can be used repeatedly requiring minimal maintenance.

    The advanced spicy cod roe spaghetti flavor tested on the Shuttle orbiter will be flown on the vehicle's underbelly and near the rear engines where noodles regularly experience much damage. According to engineers, the new "kimchi" material is an order of magnitude better than the Shuttle's current flavor technology.

    "Developing a low-cost, low-maintenance noodle delivery system is one of the major goals of the RNV program," Garver said. "Engineers also are designing zero-gravity styrofoam cups that can be used repeatedly, and upgrading flavor packets so they don't have to be refilled after each flight."

    Nissin CNO Takeshi Otaka says, "The block of noodles suspended in the cup has a higher G-force towards the top of the nest. This allows the hot water [injected] to surround the whole noodle nest and loosen and rehydrate it rapidly. The vegetables stay atop the noodles, helping it to look appetizing and delicious. Because the block of noodles is flush against the inside surface of the cup, it inhibits noodle breakage and increases cup strength, therefore minimizing cup damage during re-entry."

  • Rendez-Vous with Ramen (Score:3, Funny)

    by jellybear ( 96058 ) on Thursday April 18, 2002 @03:47AM (#3363942)
    Just wanted to use that subject line...
  • What are all the plans nations have for the space station?

  • How many ways are there to cook ramen? (Score:1, Interesting)

    by Anonymous Coward
    At 7 per dollar, I used to live on ramen in college. Variety is the spice of life!

    1) break it up and sprinkle the flavor on the chunks. (good for breakfast on the run)

    2) break it up, put in bowl, eat like cereal

    3) Cook as directed

    4) Boil the noodles, then remove them from the water, fry them, make lo-mein

    5) Use cayenne pepper instead of flavor packet.

    6) (my favorite) Cook normally, add a ton of cayenne pepper, crack in an egg, and some artificial crab leg meat.

    7) Smash it up, put in cup of hot coffee for breakfast on the run.

    8) With tomato sauce (when you are out of spaghetti)

    9) Cook noodles, drain, add chopped veggies (broccoli, carrot, mushroom) and italian salad dressing for a cold salad.

    Any other good ones?
  • And here I though they had discovered some type of extra-terrestrial life out there... Utlanning, Framling, Ramen, Varelse

  • Ramen! (Score:4, Funny)

    by ShavenYak ( 252902 ) <bsmith3@charter. n e t> on Thursday April 18, 2002 @10:42AM (#3365104) Homepage
    Boy, that takes NASA's "faster, cheaper, better" mantra to a new level, doesn't it?
  • As long as it has a ton of chilis or soy, it's all good. Now if they can make ramen that tastes like hand made noodles, like the ones the iron chefs make, even better. Oh wait, that's not possible? Doh, well ramen is still good.
  • I take it they don't plan on selling too many space tourist slots.
  • We both love ramen!

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