(Sept. 12) - A burrito for breakfast is always a tasty treat, even for astronauts in space.
Astronauts aboard NASA's shuttle Discovery have started some of their mornings in orbit with tortillas stuffed with eggs and sausage, vital ingredients for any space breakfast burrito. The shuttle landed at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida Friday evening after a day's delay to end a 14-day trek to the International Space Station.
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Space Shuttle Discovery
Preparing food in space can get tricky, but astronaut John "Danny" Olivas, pictured at the international space station earlier this month, perfected the breakfast burrito -- eggs and sausage wrapped in a tortilla -- during his time in orbit. "Danny is an expert in zero-g burrito making," said a colleague.
AP
NASA
Discovery's resident burrito chef is Danny Olivas, who perfected his space burrito recipe during a previous flight.
"Danny is an expert in zero-g burrito making," astronaut Jose Hernandez radioed Mission Control while narrating a video early Wednesday.
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Tortillas are a staple in space since, unlike bread, they don't send crumbs floating every which way in weightlessness. But that doesn't mean making a space burrito is any less challenging.
"If you're not careful, the eggs will float all over the middeck, so a little precision is required," Discovery commander Rick Sturckow said. But the final result, he added, is a breakfast fit for any spaceflyer.
The shuttle astronauts have concocted some other space food treats during their mission.
Pilot Kevin Ford slathered peanut butter on a tortilla with a butter knife that clung to his creation. The astronaut dubbed it a "peanut butter popsicle."
Astronaut Tim Kopra, who is returning to Earth after nearly two months aboard the International Space Station, tossed a Lifesaver candy ring into a blob of water to create what he called a "space eyeball."
"It's one of the skills all astronauts have, being able to play with water and play with food," Kopra said.
Discovery's shuttle astronauts are due to land in Florida Friday at 5:48 p.m. EDT (2105 GMT), though stormy weather at the Kennedy Space Center could force the crew to use a backup runway in California later this evening.
