Astronaut Has 'Wasabi Spill' in Space

Sda~ writes "You learn something new everyday: There is nothing in the astronaut training manual about how to clean up flying wasabi. An inadvertent Wasabi spill this week aboard the ISS has made space agencies re-evaluate including the spicy paste in future meals. The astronauts are allowed some of their favorite foods on each trip, to alleviate homesickness. 'Williams, whose father was born in India, has several Indian dishes in her bonus container, including Punjabi kadhi with pakora - vegetable fritters topped with yogurt and curry - and mutter paneer, a curry dish. The dishes are packaged to have a long shelf life in space. Her U.S. crew mate, astronaut Michael Lopez-Alegria, is an even bigger foodie. Lopez-Alegria, who was born in Madrid but grew up in California, had Spanish muffins known as magdalenas, chorizo pork sausage and latte in his bonus container.'"

Could Have Been Worse

[Scarletdown]

At least the wasabi sauce didn't find its way to Uranus.

How to clean up flying wasabi

[Anonymous Coward]

I suspect they could use the same procedure they use for flying vomit, flying tang, or flying vomited tang.

FYI Most space wasabi is actually horseradish.

Back in my day...

[Anonymous Coward]

...the astronauts drank Tang and liked it, dagnabbit!

HEY

[Profane MuthaFucka]

You just forget about the wasabi incident or I'm going to diaper drive over to your house and kick your ass.

Chorizo? Score!

[Elrond, Duke of URL]

Well, that settles it. If I can get chorizo in space, sign me up. It's hard enough to find here on Earth in most places.

Mmmmmmm...

Aren't there rules against things like this?

[FlyByPC]

Wasabi isn't a food -- it's a weapon. I'm convinced that if you brought two large chunks of it together fast enough, it would go supercritical...

Re:Aren't there rules against things like this?

[Stephen Tennant]

With me, it goes supercritical a couple of hours after ingestion - what scientists have classed a "brown nova."

Lay off

[dangitman]

Her U.S. crew mate, astronaut Michael Lopez-Alegria, is an even bigger foodie.

Yeah, we know Americans are somewhat large on average - but do we really have to draw attention to his weight problem? It can't be that bad if he's an astronaut. Maybe he just has big bones?

Re:Useful practice?

[Anonymous Coward]

At least she didn't spill hot grits on herself.

Re:Chorizo? Score!

[plover]

The bigger question is what do his fellow astronauts think about the chorizo a few hours after he's eaten it? It's not like you can open a window, or blame the dog.

obligatory Simpson quote

[mikesum]

(From space shuttle above the Earth) Homer: It's beautiful. It's the most awe-inspiring sight I have ever seen. Giver of life, mother of us all...hey guys, look what I smuggled aboard! [shows a bag of chips] Buzz Aldrin: Homer, no! [Homer breaks open bag; chips fly everywhere] Race Banyon: They'll clog the instruments! Buzz: Careful! They're ruffled! Homer: I'll handle this! [Homer floats around the cabin, eating chips to The Blue Danube - an obvious reference to 2001: A Space Odyssey]

Re:Hmmm...

[$RANDOMLUSER]

Since you only need a small amount of wasabi...

Allow me to introduce you to the notion of "Irish measure", which states:
If "some" is good, "more" is better, and "way way way the fuck too much" should be just about right.

Re:Useful practice?

[YGingras]

What would they do if there was a leaking battery or something worse?

I say we take off and nuke the entire site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure. --Ellen Ripley

Re:*Chuckle*

[jdigriz]

2 billion a year!!! My god, that's a little over an entire week of war in Iraq http://www.boston.com/news/world/middleeast/articl es/2006/09/28/cost_of_iraq_war_nearly_2b_a_week/ [boston.com] And yet they haven't killed even one space insurgent. I demand a refund!

Wasabi isn't all that dangerous...

[tinrobot]

...at least it won't drive 1000 miles wearing a diaper and try and kidnap another astronaut.

Could have been much worse!

[SanityInAnarchy]

Think about sex in space. Zero gravity sex could be an amazing thing, I imagine, but the cleanup...

I mean, you could conceivably keep it clean -- swallow it all, I'm sure you can fill in the blanks. Or, someone could get stupid and try to bukakke...

Re:Aren't there rules against things like this?

[Fear the Clam]

Actually, what comes out of one's black hole is Hawking radiation.

Re:Chorizo? Score!

[Impy the Impiuos Imp]

> And yes, they meant "sausage" in exactly the way you're thinking.
>
> I used to love chorizo and scrambled eggs down there

And yes, he also means "scrambled eggs" and "down there" in exactly the way you're thinking!