From Earth to Outer Space

Even instant noodles—and their packaging—made the journey 🌏🚀🍜
When I saw a Vietnamese woman among the latest space crew, I felt proud. And curious: how is food packaged for space?

In space, there are no refrigerators or freezers to keep food safe and fresh. That’s why, according to NASA, food for long-duration missions must be prepackaged with a shelf life of up to five years. Sounds tough? It is.
Packaging for space food must:
• Prevent spoilage, vitamin loss, and sensory degradation
• Block contamination by microorganisms
• Protect against physical hazards like punctures or tears
• Control oxygen and moisture transmission from the environment
On top of all that, it must be:
• Lightweight (every gram counts)
That’s why—despite growing concerns over its environmental impact—plastic remains the material of choice for food in space.

As someone who grew up eating instant noodles—and later worked in factories producing their packaging—I’ve witnessed this evolution up close.
One memory still sticks with me:
Years ago in Vietnam, we got complaints about noodle packs losing their color. It was a year with unusually intense sunlight, and the packs—displayed on street-facing shelves—faded rapidly.
Here’s something people in the West might not know:
In Vietnam, instant noodles are often sold on open shelves facing the street, fully exposed to the sun. That way, someone on a motorbike can pull over, grab a pack, and go. It’s fast, accessible—and deeply woven into daily life.
But that setup brought unique challenges. Our packaging had to perform differently. The ink couldn’t just look good indoors—it had to withstand sunlight, heat, and humidity. After investigating, we learned the ink needed to be light-proof. That discovery taught us something new, and we adapted. We improved because of the real-world conditions we faced.

Today, I look around and see how far instant noodle packaging has come:
• Plastic-laminated pouches for affordability
• Foil retort pouches for long-term or military use
• Microwave-ready packs with steam vents
• Even foldable forks tucked into the lids

And yes—instant noodles made it to space 🌏🚀🍜
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of instant noodles, Nissin partnered with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to create “Space Ram,” the first space-ready ramen. These were packaged in vacuum-sealed, high-performance pouches designed for zero gravity.
What began as a humble hunger solution in post-war Japan has become not only a global comfort food—but a packaging innovation worthy of spaceflight.
Food connects us—whether we’re on Earth or orbiting above it.
And packaging? It’s the quiet hero that makes it all possible.

Sources & References:
- https://lnkd.in/ggqU8aUK
- https://global.jaxa.jp
- https://lnkd.in/geMSVdTZ
- Photo courtesy of Nissin Foods, Vnexpress.