{"id":579192,"date":"2023-12-22T09:15:00","date_gmt":"2023-12-22T14:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/?p=579192"},"modified":"2024-05-28T15:00:40","modified_gmt":"2024-05-28T19:00:40","slug":"apollo-8-christmas-dinner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/apollo-8-christmas-dinner\/","title":{"rendered":"An Apollo 8 Christmas Dinner Surprise: Turkey and Gravy Make Space History"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"\" class=\"padding-top-5 padding-bottom-3 width-full maxw-full hds-module hds-module-full wp-block-nasa-blocks-article-intro\"><div class=\"width-full maxw-full article-header\"><div class=\"margin-bottom-2 width-full maxw-full\"><p class=\"label carbon-60 margin-0 margin-bottom-3 padding-0\">6 min read<\/p><h1 class=\"display-48 margin-bottom-2\">An Apollo 8 Christmas Dinner Surprise: Turkey and Gravy Make Space History<\/h1><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>On Christmas Day in 1968, the three-man Apollo 8 crew of Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and Bill Anders found a surprise in their food locker: a specially packed Christmas dinner wrapped in foil and decorated with red and green ribbons. Something as simple as a \u201chome-cooked meal,\u201d or as close as NASA could get for a spaceflight at the time, greatly improved the crew\u2019s morale and appetite. More importantly, the meal marked a turning point in space food history.<\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-none \"><a href=\"https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/S68-50265\/S68-50265~large.jpg?w=1509&h=1920&fit=clip&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" rel=\"noopener\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1509\" height=\"1920\" src=\"https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/S68-50265\/S68-50265~large.jpg?w=1509&h=1920&fit=clip&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"Portrait of the Apollo 8 crew\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/S68-50265\/S68-50265~large.jpg?w=1509&h=1920&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1509w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/S68-50265\/S68-50265~large.jpg?w=236&h=300&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 236w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/S68-50265\/S68-50265~large.jpg?w=768&h=977&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 768w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/S68-50265\/S68-50265~large.jpg?w=805&h=1024&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 805w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/S68-50265\/S68-50265~large.jpg?w=1207&h=1536&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1207w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/S68-50265\/S68-50265~large.jpg?w=314&h=400&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 314w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/S68-50265\/S68-50265~large.jpg?w=472&h=601&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 472w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/S68-50265\/S68-50265~large.jpg?w=707&h=900&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 707w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/S68-50265\/S68-50265~large.jpg?w=943&h=1200&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 943w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1509px) 100vw, 1509px\" loading=\"eager\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">The prime crew of the Apollo 8 lunar orbit mission pose for a portrait next to the Apollo Mission Simulator at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC). Left to right, they are James A. Lovell Jr., command module pilot; William A. Anders, lunar module pilot; and Frank Borman, commander.<\/div><div class=\"hds-credits\">NASA<\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>On their way to the Moon, the Apollo 8 crew was not very hungry. Food scientist Malcolm Smith later documented just how little the crew ate. Borman ate the least of the three, eating only 881 calories on day two, which concerned flight surgeon Chuck Berry. Most of the food, Borman later explained, was \u201cunappetizing.\u201d The crew ate few of the compressed, bite-sized items, and when they rehydrated their meals, the food took on the flavor of their wrappings instead of the actual food in the container. \u201cIf that doesn\u2019t sound like a rousing endorsement, it isn\u2019t,\u201d he told viewers watching the Apollo 8 crew in space ahead of their surprise meal. As Anders demonstrated to the television audience how the astronauts prepared a meal and ate in space, Borman announced his wish, that folks back on Earth would \u201chave better Christmas dinners\u201d than the one the flight crew would be consuming that day.<sup><a id=\"ref1\" href=\"#fn1\">1<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"nasa-gb-align-center padding-y-3 maxw-full width-full display-flex flex-align-center hds-module wp-block-nasa-blocks-blockquote\"><div class=\"grid-container grid-container-block display-flex flex-column flex-justify-center padding-0\">\n\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:display-flex mobile:display-block\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"blockquote-icon margin-bottom-3\">\n\t\t\t\t<svg class=\"tablet:square-4 square-4 margin-right-3\" version=\"1.1\" aria-hidden=\"true\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" viewBox=\"0 0 3000 3000\" style=\"enable-background:new 0 0 3000 3000;\" xml:space=\"preserve\"> <g> <path d=\"M586.7,1429.7c-10.7,1.5-21.4,2.8-33.9,4.5c6.9-26.6,12.7-50.7,19.5-74.6c32.4-114.1,78.5-222.2,146.8-319.5 c90.2-128.5,202.5-235.3,327.7-329.1c8.4-6.3,16.7-12.6,25.3-19.1c-66.3-105.1-131.5-208.6-197.3-313.1c-3.5,1.2-5.5,1.6-7.2,2.6 C714.4,469,576.1,575.7,456,705.3c-126,135.9-226.2,289.1-303,457.8c-98.8,217.1-151.3,444-147.2,683.3 c1.7,100.5,12.9,199.6,41.1,296.3C93.7,2303,182.2,2433,326.7,2520.1c176.9,106.7,366.8,126.8,563.4,70.5 c150.9-43.2,260.9-138.9,327.2-282.5c33.4-72.5,47.8-149.4,52-228.7c6.5-122.8-14.1-239.5-74.3-348.1 C1074.6,1514.5,832.7,1394.2,586.7,1429.7z\"><\/path><path d=\"M2912.5,1722c-129.9-210.9-320.2-309.4-567.9-296c-22.1,1.2-44,5.1-67.4,7.9c2.2-9.6,4-17.9,6.1-26.2 c37.9-153.6,99.3-296,198.8-420.5c77.8-97.4,167.1-182.9,265.8-258.8c15.6-12,31.3-23.9,47.9-36.5 c-66.2-105.1-131.9-209.2-197.2-312.8c-3.5,1.1-5.1,1.2-6.4,2c-167.2,95.6-316.1,213.7-443.2,358.8 c-105.1,119.9-191.1,252.3-259.5,396.3c-95.5,201-152.1,411.6-159.1,634.8c-3.9,125.5,4.8,249.7,40.1,371 c46.7,160.8,135.7,290.9,280.5,378.7c165.7,100.5,344.8,123,531.2,78.8c172.4-40.8,296.4-143.9,366.3-308.5 c28.5-67.2,40.6-138,44.6-210.5C3000.2,1953.3,2979.9,1831.4,2912.5,1722z\"><\/path><\/g><\/svg>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"blockquote-content\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-4\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"font-weight-extralight line-height-sm margin-top-0 section-heading-sm\"><span class=\"section-heading-sm\">If that doesn\u2019t sound like a rousing endorsement, it isn\u2019t.<\/span><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"display-flex\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"blockquote-image hds-cover-wrapper margin-right-3\"><figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/astronaut-frank-borman.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Frank Borman\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/astronaut-frank-borman.jpg?resize=150,150 150w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/astronaut-frank-borman.jpg?resize=50,50 50w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/astronaut-frank-borman.jpg?resize=100,100 100w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/astronaut-frank-borman.jpg?resize=200,200 200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-11\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"blockquote-credit-name line-height-sm margin-0\">Frank Borman<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"blockquote-credit-title line-height-sm padding-0 margin-0\">Apollo 8 Astronaut<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Over the 1960s, there were many complaints about the food from astronauts and others working at the Manned Spacecraft Center (now NASA\u2019s Johnson Space Center). After evaluating the food that the Apollo 8 crew would be consuming onboard their upcoming flight, Apollo 9 astronaut Jim McDivitt penciled a note to the food lab about his in-flight preferences. Using the back of the Apollo 8 crew menu, he directed them to decrease the number of compressed bite-sized items \u201cto a bare minimum\u201d and to include more meat and potato items. \u201cI get awfully hungry,\u201d he wrote, \u201cand I\u2019m afraid I\u2019m going to starve to death on that menu.\u201d<sup><a id=\"ref2\" href=\"#fn2\">2<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 1969, Rita Rapp, a physiologist who led the Apollo Food System team, asked Donald Arabian, head of the Mission Evaluation Room, to evaluate a four-day food supply used for the Apollo missions. Arabian identified himself as someone who \u201cwould eat almost anything. \u2026 you might say [I am] somewhat of a human garbage can.\u201d But even he found the food lacked the flavor, aroma, appearance, texture, and taste he was accustomed to. At the end of his four-day assessment he concluded that \u201cthe pleasures of eating were lost to the point where interest in eating was essentially curtailed.\u201d<sup><a id=\"ref3\" href=\"#fn3\">3<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-fit \"><a href=\"https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/s65-24895\/s65-24895~large.jpg?w=1920&h=1536&fit=clip&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1536\" src=\"https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/s65-24895\/s65-24895~large.jpg?w=1920&h=1536&fit=clip&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"An array of food items and related implements used on the Gemini-Titan 4 mission\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/s65-24895\/s65-24895~large.jpg?w=1920&h=1536&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1920w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/s65-24895\/s65-24895~large.jpg?w=300&h=240&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 300w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/s65-24895\/s65-24895~large.jpg?w=768&h=614&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 768w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/s65-24895\/s65-24895~large.jpg?w=1024&h=819&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1024w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/s65-24895\/s65-24895~large.jpg?w=1536&h=1229&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1536w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/s65-24895\/s65-24895~large.jpg?w=400&h=320&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 400w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/s65-24895\/s65-24895~large.jpg?w=600&h=480&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 600w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/s65-24895\/s65-24895~large.jpg?w=900&h=720&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 900w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/s65-24895\/s65-24895~large.jpg?w=1200&h=960&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">Food used on the Gemini-Titan IV flight. Packages include beef sandwich cubes, strawberry cereal cubes, dehydrated peaches, and dehydrated beef and gravy. A water gun on the Gemini spacecraft is used to reconstitute the dehydrated food and scissors are used to open the packaging.<\/div><div class=\"hds-credits\">NASA<\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Apollo 8 commander Frank Borman concurred with Arabian\u2019s assessment of the Apollo food. The one item Borman enjoyed? It was the contents of the Christmas meal wrapped in ribbons: turkey and gravy. The Christmas dinner was so delicious that the crew contacted Houston to inform them of their good fortune. \u201cIt appears that we did a great injustice to the food people,\u201d Lovell told capsule communicator (CAPCOM) Mike Collins. \u201cJust after our TV show, Santa Claus brought us a TV dinner each; it was delicious. Turkey and gravy, cranberry sauce, grape punch; [it was] outstanding.\u201d In response, Collins expressed delight in hearing the good news but shared that the flight control team was not as lucky. Instead, they were \u201ceating cold coffee and baloney sandwiches.\u201d<sup><a id=\"ref4\" href=\"#fn4\">4<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-cover \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/apollo-8-food.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1416\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/apollo-8-food.jpg?w=2048\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"4 packets of food and a spoon wrapped in plastic that were served to the Apollo 8 crew for Christmas\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 49% 61%; object-position: 49% 61%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/apollo-8-food.jpg 3700w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/apollo-8-food.jpg?resize=300,207 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/apollo-8-food.jpg?resize=768,531 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/apollo-8-food.jpg?resize=1024,708 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/apollo-8-food.jpg?resize=1536,1062 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/apollo-8-food.jpg?resize=2048,1416 2048w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/apollo-8-food.jpg?resize=400,277 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/apollo-8-food.jpg?resize=600,415 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/apollo-8-food.jpg?resize=900,622 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/apollo-8-food.jpg?resize=1200,830 1200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/apollo-8-food.jpg?resize=2000,1383 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">The Apollo 8 Christmas menu included dehydrated grape drink, cranberry-applesauce, and coffee, as well as a wetpack containing turkey and gravy.<\/div><div class=\"hds-credits\">U.S. Natick Soldier Systems Center Photographic Collection<\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>The Apollo 8 meal was a \u201cbreakthrough.\u201d Until that mission, the food choices for Apollo crews were limited to freeze dried foods that required water to be added before they could be consumed, and ready-to-eat compressed foods formed into cubes. Most space food was highly processed. On this mission NASA introduced the \u201cwetpack\u201d: a thermostabilized package of turkey and gravy that retained its normal water content and could be eaten with a spoon. Astronauts had consumed thermostabilized pureed food on the Project Mercury missions in the early 1960s, but never chunks of meat like turkey. For the Project Gemini and Apollo 7 spaceflights, astronauts used their fingers to pop bite-sized cubes of food into their mouths and zero-G feeder tubes to consume rehydrated food. The inclusion of the wetpack for the Apollo 8 crew was years in the making. The U.S. Army Natick Labs in Massachusetts developed the packaging, and the U.S. Air Force conducted numerous parabolic flights to test eating from the package with a spoon.<sup><a id=\"ref5\" href=\"#fn5\">5<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Smith called the meal a real \u201cmorale booster.\u201d He noted several reasons for its appeal: the new packaging allowed the astronauts to see and smell the turkey and gravy; the meat\u2019s texture and flavor were not altered by adding water from the spacecraft or the rehydration process; and finally, the crew did not have to go through the process of adding water, kneading the package, and then waiting to consume their meal. Smith concluded that the Christmas dinner demonstrated \u201cthe importance of the methods of presentation and serving of food.\u201d Eating from a spoon instead of the zero-G feeder improved the inflight feeding experience, mimicking the way people eat on Earth: using utensils, not squirting pureed food out of a pouch into their mouths. Using a spoon also simplified eating and meal preparation. NASA added more wetpacks onboard Apollo 9, and the crew experimented eating other foods, including a rehydrated meal item, with the spoon.<sup><a id=\"ref6\" href=\"#fn6\">6<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-fit \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/s70-34322.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1604\" height=\"2048\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/s70-34322.jpg?w=1604\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"Photo of Malcolm Smith squirting a clear plastic pouch of orange food into his mouth while sitting on a stool.\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/s70-34322.jpg 3652w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/s70-34322.jpg?resize=235,300 235w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/s70-34322.jpg?resize=768,981 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/s70-34322.jpg?resize=802,1024 802w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/s70-34322.jpg?resize=1203,1536 1203w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/s70-34322.jpg?resize=1604,2048 1604w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/s70-34322.jpg?resize=313,400 313w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/s70-34322.jpg?resize=470,600 470w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/s70-34322.jpg?resize=705,900 705w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/s70-34322.jpg?resize=940,1200 940w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/s70-34322.jpg?resize=1566,2000 1566w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1604px) 100vw, 1604px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">Malcolm Smith demonstrates eating space food.<\/div><div class=\"hds-credits\">NASA<\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Food was one of the few creature comforts the crew had on the Apollo 8 flight, and this meal demonstrated the psychological importance of being able to smell, taste, and see the turkey prior to consuming their meal, something that was lacking in the first four days of the flight. Seeing appetizing food triggers hunger and encourages eating. In other words, if food looks and smells good, then it must taste good. Little things like this improvement to the Apollo Food System made a huge difference to the crews who simply wanted some of the same eating experiences in orbit and on the Moon that they enjoyed on Earth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:45px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Footnotes<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"fn1\"><a href=\"#ref1\">[1]<\/a> Apollo 8 Mission Commentary, Dec. 25, 1968, p. 543, <a href=\"https:\/\/historycollection.jsc.nasa.gov\/JSCHistoryPortal\/history\/mission_trans\/AS08_PAO.PDF\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/historycollection.jsc.nasa.gov\/JSCHistoryPortal\/history\/mission_trans\/AS08_PAO.PDF<\/a>; Apollo 8 Technical Debriefing, Jan. 2, 1969, 078-15, Apollo Series, University of Houston-Clear Lake, Houston, Texas (hereafter UHCL); Malcolm C. Smith to Director of Medical Research and Operations, \u201cNutrient consumption on Apollo VII and VIII,\u201d Jan. 13, 1969, Rita Rapp Papers, Box 1, UHCL.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"fn2\"><a href=\"#ref2\">[2]<\/a> Jim McDivitt food evaluation form, n.d., Box 17, Rapp Papers, UHCL.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"fn3\"><a href=\"#ref3\">[3]<\/a> Donald Arabian to Rapp, \u201cEvaluation of four-day food supply,\u201d May 8, 1969, Box 17, Rapp Papers, UHCL.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"fn4\"><a href=\"#ref5\">[<\/a><a href=\"#ref4\">4]<\/a> Apollo 8 Mission Commentary, Dec. 25, 1968, p. 545.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"fn5\"><a href=\"#ref5\">[5]<\/a> Malcolm Smith, \u201cThe Apollo Food Program,\u201d in <a href=\"https:\/\/ntrs.nasa.gov\/citations\/19700024524\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>Aerospace Food Technology<\/em><\/a>, NASA SP-202 (Washington, DC: 1970), pp. 5\u20138; Whirlpool Corporation, \u201cSpace Food Systems: Mercury through Apollo,\u201d Dec. 1970, Box 9, Rapp Papers, UHCL.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"fn6\"><a href=\"#ref6\">[6]<\/a> Smith, \u201cThe Apollo Food Program,\u201d pp. 7\u20138; Smith to the Record, \u201cChristmas Dinner for Apollo VIII,\u201d Jan. 10, 1969, Box 1, Rapp Papers, UHCL; Smith et al, \u201cApollo Food Technology,\u201d in <a href=\"https:\/\/ntrs.nasa.gov\/citations\/19760005580\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>Biomedical Results of Apollo<\/em><\/a>, NASA SP-368 (Washington, DC: NASA, 1975), p. 456.<\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-about-the-author nasa-gb-align-full width-full maxw-full padding-x-3 padding-y-6 hds-module hds-module-full wp-block-nasa-blocks-about-the-author\"><div class=\"grid-row grid-container maxw-widescreen padding-x-0 border-top-1px border-color-carbon-black padding-top-3\"><div class=\"margin-bottom-4\"><h3 class=\"heading-14\">About the Author<\/h3><\/div><\/div><div class=\"grid-row grid-container padding-x-0 maxw-widescreen\"><div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-6 desktop:padding-right-9\"><div class=\"grid-row\"><div class=\"hds-author-thumbnail mobile:circle-6 mobile:maxw-6 circle-card maxw-card thumbnail margin-right-2 desktop:margin-right-5\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"10rem\" height=\"10rem\" loading=\"lazy\" fetchpriority=\"low\" class=\"avatar avatar-300 photo medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Jennifer-Ross-Nazzal_avatar_1664377113-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"Jennifer Ross-Nazzal\"><\/div><div class=\"grid-col\"><div class=\"margin-bottom-2\"><h2 class=\"heading-29 line-height-sm\">Jennifer Ross-Nazzal<\/h2><\/div><div class=\"heading-12 p-md\">NASA Human Spaceflight Historian<\/div><div class=\"padding-y-2\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"desktop:grid-col-6 desktop:padding-right-9\"><p class=\"margin-top-0\">Jennifer Ross-Nazzal is the NASA Human Spaceflight Historian.  She is the author of Winning the West for Women:  The Life of Suffragist Emma Smith DeVoe and Making Space for Women:  Stories from Trailblazing Women of NASA's Johnson Space Center.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"nasa-gb-align-full width-full maxw-full padding-x-3 padding-y-0 article_a hds-module hds-module-full wp-block-nasa-blocks-credits-and-details\">\n<section class=\"padding-x-0 padding-top-5 padding-bottom-2 desktop:padding-top-7 desktop:padding-bottom-9\">\n\t<div class=\"grid-row grid-container maxw-widescreen padding-0\">\n\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-2 padding-right-4 margin-bottom-5 desktop:margin-bottom-0\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"padding-top-3 border-top-1px border-color-carbon-black\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"heading-14\">Share<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"padding-bottom-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"social-icons social-icons-round\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"social-icon 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0v8.399h4.988v-10.131c0-7.88-8.922-7.593-11.018-3.714v-2.155z\"\/><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"social-icon social-icon-rss\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"\/feed\/\" aria-label=\"Subscribe to RSS feed.\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 800 800\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M493 652H392c0-134-111-244-244-244V307c189 0 345 156 345 345zm71 0c0-228-188-416-416-416V132c285 0 520 235 520 520z\"\/><circle cx=\"219\" cy=\"581\" r=\"71\"\/><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-5 padding-right-4 margin-bottom-5 desktop:margin-bottom-0\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"padding-top-3 border-top-1px border-color-carbon-black\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"heading-14\">Details<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-row margin-bottom-3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-4\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"subheading\">Last Updated<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-8\">May 28, 2024<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-row margin-bottom-3\"><div class=\"grid-col-4\"><div class=\"subheading\">Editor<\/div><\/div><div class=\"grid-col-8\">Michele Ostovar<\/div><\/div>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-5 padding-right-4 margin-bottom-5 desktop:margin-bottom-0\"><div class=\"padding-top-3 border-top-1px border-color-carbon-black \"><div class=\"margin-bottom-2\"><h2 class=\"heading-14\">Related Terms<\/h2><\/div><ul class=\"article-tags\"><li class=\"article-tag\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/\">NASA History<\/a><\/li><li class=\"article-tag\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/mission\/apollo-8\/\">Apollo 8<\/a><\/li><li class=\"article-tag\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/former-astronaut-frank-borman\/\">Frank Borman<\/a><\/li><li class=\"article-tag\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/humans-in-space\/\">Humans in Space<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\t<\/div>\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"nasa-gb-align-full width-full maxw-full padding-x-3 padding-y-0 hds-module hds-module-full wp-block-nasa-blocks-related-articles\">\t\t<section class=\"hds-related-articles padding-x-0 padding-y-3 desktop:padding-top-7 desktop:padding-bottom-9\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"w-100 grid-row grid-container maxw-widescreen padding-0 text-align-left\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-4\"><h2 style=\"max-width: 100%;\" class=\"width-full w-full maxw-full\">Explore More<\/h2><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-row grid-container maxw-widescreen padding-0\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-4 margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0 desktop:padding-right-3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/space-station-20th-food-on-iss\/\" class=\"color-carbon-black\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black minh-mobile\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"219\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/iss20_food_tereshkova_eating_in_space_vostok_6.jpg?w=300\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/iss20_food_tereshkova_eating_in_space_vostok_6.jpg 590w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/iss20_food_tereshkova_eating_in_space_vostok_6.jpg?resize=300,219 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/iss20_food_tereshkova_eating_in_space_vostok_6.jpg?resize=400,292 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"padding-right-0 desktop:padding-right-10\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"subheading margin-bottom-1\">12 min read<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-1\"><h3 class=\"related-article-title\">Space Station 20th: Food on ISS<\/h3><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"display-flex flex-align-center label related-article-label margin-bottom-1 color-carbon-60\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"display-flex flex-align-center margin-right-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg version=\"1.1\" class=\"square-2 margin-right-1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" style=\"enable-background:new 0 0 16 16;\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><g><g><path d=\"M8,0C3.5,0-0.1,3.7,0,8.2C0.1,12.5,3.6,16,8,16c4.4,0,8-3.6,8-8C16,3.5,12.4,0,8,0z M8,15.2 C4,15.2,0.8,12,0.8,8C0.8,4,4,0.8,8,0.8c3.9,0,7.2,3.2,7.2,7.1C15.2,11.9,12,15.2,8,15.2z\"\/><path d=\"M5.6,12c0.8-0.8,1.6-1.6,2.4-2.4c0.8,0.8,1.6,1.6,2.4,2.4c0-2.7,0-5.3,0-8C8.8,4,7.2,4,5.6,4 C5.6,6.7,5.6,9.3,5.6,12z\"\/><\/g><\/g><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Article<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t4 years ago\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-4 margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0 desktop:padding-right-3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/missions\/apollo\/apollo-8-christmas-at-the-moon\/\" class=\"color-carbon-black\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black minh-mobile\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"234\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/apollo_8_earthrise_1968_as08-14-2383.jpg?w=300\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/apollo_8_earthrise_1968_as08-14-2383.jpg 1041w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/apollo_8_earthrise_1968_as08-14-2383.jpg?resize=300,234 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/apollo_8_earthrise_1968_as08-14-2383.jpg?resize=768,600 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/apollo_8_earthrise_1968_as08-14-2383.jpg?resize=1024,800 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/apollo_8_earthrise_1968_as08-14-2383.jpg?resize=400,312 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/apollo_8_earthrise_1968_as08-14-2383.jpg?resize=600,469 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/apollo_8_earthrise_1968_as08-14-2383.jpg?resize=900,703 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"padding-right-0 desktop:padding-right-10\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"subheading margin-bottom-1\">4 min read<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-1\"><h3 class=\"related-article-title\">Apollo 8: Christmas at the Moon<\/h3><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"display-flex flex-align-center label related-article-label margin-bottom-1 color-carbon-60\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"display-flex flex-align-center margin-right-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg version=\"1.1\" class=\"square-2 margin-right-1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" style=\"enable-background:new 0 0 16 16;\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><g><g><path d=\"M8,0C3.5,0-0.1,3.7,0,8.2C0.1,12.5,3.6,16,8,16c4.4,0,8-3.6,8-8C16,3.5,12.4,0,8,0z M8,15.2 C4,15.2,0.8,12,0.8,8C0.8,4,4,0.8,8,0.8c3.9,0,7.2,3.2,7.2,7.1C15.2,11.9,12,15.2,8,15.2z\"\/><path d=\"M5.6,12c0.8-0.8,1.6-1.6,2.4-2.4c0.8,0.8,1.6,1.6,2.4,2.4c0-2.7,0-5.3,0-8C8.8,4,7.2,4,5.6,4 C5.6,6.7,5.6,9.3,5.6,12z\"\/><\/g><\/g><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Article<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t4 years ago\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-4 margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0 desktop:padding-right-3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/missions\/apollo\/to-the-moon-and-back-apollo-8-and-the-future-of-lunar-exploration\/\" class=\"color-carbon-black\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black minh-mobile\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"228\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/apollo8-launch-invite-at-yale.jpg?w=300\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/apollo8-launch-invite-at-yale.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/apollo8-launch-invite-at-yale.jpg?resize=300,228 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/apollo8-launch-invite-at-yale.jpg?resize=400,304 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/apollo8-launch-invite-at-yale.jpg?resize=600,455 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"padding-right-0 desktop:padding-right-10\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"subheading margin-bottom-1\">4 min read<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-1\"><h3 class=\"related-article-title\">To the Moon and Back: Apollo 8 and the Future of Lunar Exploration<\/h3><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"display-flex flex-align-center label related-article-label margin-bottom-1 color-carbon-60\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"display-flex flex-align-center margin-right-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg version=\"1.1\" class=\"square-2 margin-right-1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" style=\"enable-background:new 0 0 16 16;\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><g><g><path d=\"M8,0C3.5,0-0.1,3.7,0,8.2C0.1,12.5,3.6,16,8,16c4.4,0,8-3.6,8-8C16,3.5,12.4,0,8,0z M8,15.2 C4,15.2,0.8,12,0.8,8C0.8,4,4,0.8,8,0.8c3.9,0,7.2,3.2,7.2,7.1C15.2,11.9,12,15.2,8,15.2z\"\/><path d=\"M5.6,12c0.8-0.8,1.6-1.6,2.4-2.4c0.8,0.8,1.6,1.6,2.4,2.4c0-2.7,0-5.3,0-8C8.8,4,7.2,4,5.6,4 C5.6,6.7,5.6,9.3,5.6,12z\"\/><\/g><\/g><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Article<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t5 years ago\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-topic-cards nasa-gb-align-full maxw-full width-full padding-y-6 padding-x-3 color-mode-dark hds-module hds-module-full wp-block-nasa-blocks-topic-cards\">\t\t<div class=\"grid-container grid-container-block-lg padding-x-0\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-row flex-align-center margin-bottom-3\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"desktop:grid-col-8 margin-bottom-2 desktop:margin-bottom-0\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"label color-carbon-60 margin-bottom-2\">Keep Exploring<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"heading-36 line-height-sm\">Discover More Topics From NASA<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-row grid-gap-2 hds-topic-cards-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/\" class=\"mobile:grid-col-12 tablet:grid-col-6 desktop:grid-col-3 topic-card margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hds-topic-card hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"skrim-overlay skrim-overlay-dark skrim-left mobile-skrim-top padding-3 display-flex flex-align-end flex-justify-start z-200\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"hds-topic-card-heading heading-29 color-spacesuit-white line-height-sm margin-top-0 margin-bottom-1\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>NASA History<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg viewBox=\"0 0 32 32\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><circle class=\"color-nasa-red\" cx=\"16\" cy=\"16\" r=\"16\"><\/circle><path d=\"M8 16.956h12.604l-3.844 4.106 1.252 1.338L24 16l-5.988-6.4-1.252 1.338 3.844 4.106H8v1.912z\" class=\"color-spacesuit-white\"><\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"983\" height=\"1223\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/as11-40-5903_alt2.jpg?w=983\" class=\"attachment-1536x1536 size-1536x1536\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/as11-40-5903_alt2.jpg 983w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/as11-40-5903_alt2.jpg?resize=241,300 241w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/as11-40-5903_alt2.jpg?resize=768,956 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/as11-40-5903_alt2.jpg?resize=823,1024 823w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/as11-40-5903_alt2.jpg?resize=322,400 322w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/as11-40-5903_alt2.jpg?resize=482,600 482w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/as11-40-5903_alt2.jpg?resize=723,900 723w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/as11-40-5903_alt2.jpg?resize=965,1200 965w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 983px) 100vw, 983px\" \/><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/humans-in-space\/\" class=\"mobile:grid-col-12 tablet:grid-col-6 desktop:grid-col-3 topic-card margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hds-topic-card hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"skrim-overlay skrim-overlay-dark skrim-left mobile-skrim-top padding-3 display-flex flex-align-end flex-justify-start z-200\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"hds-topic-card-heading heading-29 color-spacesuit-white line-height-sm margin-top-0 margin-bottom-1\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Humans In Space<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg viewBox=\"0 0 32 32\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><circle class=\"color-nasa-red\" cx=\"16\" cy=\"16\" r=\"16\"><\/circle><path d=\"M8 16.956h12.604l-3.844 4.106 1.252 1.338L24 16l-5.988-6.4-1.252 1.338 3.844 4.106H8v1.912z\" class=\"color-spacesuit-white\"><\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"368\" height=\"560\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/topic-humans-in-space.jpg?w=368\" class=\"attachment-1536x1536 size-1536x1536\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/topic-humans-in-space.jpg 368w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/topic-humans-in-space.jpg?resize=197,300 197w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/topic-humans-in-space.jpg?resize=263,400 263w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 368px) 100vw, 368px\" \/><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/the-apollo-program\/\" class=\"mobile:grid-col-12 tablet:grid-col-6 desktop:grid-col-3 topic-card margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hds-topic-card hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"skrim-overlay skrim-overlay-dark skrim-left mobile-skrim-top padding-3 display-flex flex-align-end flex-justify-start z-200\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"hds-topic-card-heading heading-29 color-spacesuit-white line-height-sm margin-top-0 margin-bottom-1\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>The Apollo Program<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg viewBox=\"0 0 32 32\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><circle class=\"color-nasa-red\" cx=\"16\" cy=\"16\" r=\"16\"><\/circle><path d=\"M8 16.956h12.604l-3.844 4.106 1.252 1.338L24 16l-5.988-6.4-1.252 1.338 3.844 4.106H8v1.912z\" class=\"color-spacesuit-white\"><\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1920\" src=\"https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/as14-66-09277\/as14-66-09277~large.jpg?w=1920&h=1920&fit=clip&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" class=\"attachment-1536x1536 size-1536x1536\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/as14-66-09277\/as14-66-09277~large.jpg?w=1920&h=1920&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1920w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/as14-66-09277\/as14-66-09277~large.jpg?w=150&h=150&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 150w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/as14-66-09277\/as14-66-09277~large.jpg?w=300&h=300&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 300w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/as14-66-09277\/as14-66-09277~large.jpg?w=768&h=768&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 768w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/as14-66-09277\/as14-66-09277~large.jpg?w=1024&h=1024&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1024w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/as14-66-09277\/as14-66-09277~large.jpg?w=1536&h=1536&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1536w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/as14-66-09277\/as14-66-09277~large.jpg?w=50&h=50&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 50w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/as14-66-09277\/as14-66-09277~large.jpg?w=100&h=100&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 100w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/as14-66-09277\/as14-66-09277~large.jpg?w=200&h=200&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 200w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/as14-66-09277\/as14-66-09277~large.jpg?w=400&h=400&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 400w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/as14-66-09277\/as14-66-09277~large.jpg?w=600&h=600&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 600w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/as14-66-09277\/as14-66-09277~large.jpg?w=900&h=900&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 900w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/as14-66-09277\/as14-66-09277~large.jpg?w=1200&h=1200&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/johnson\/history\/\" class=\"mobile:grid-col-12 tablet:grid-col-6 desktop:grid-col-3 topic-card margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hds-topic-card hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"skrim-overlay skrim-overlay-dark skrim-left mobile-skrim-top padding-3 display-flex flex-align-end flex-justify-start z-200\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"hds-topic-card-heading heading-29 color-spacesuit-white line-height-sm margin-top-0 margin-bottom-1\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Johnson Space Center History<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg viewBox=\"0 0 32 32\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><circle class=\"color-nasa-red\" cx=\"16\" cy=\"16\" r=\"16\"><\/circle><path d=\"M8 16.956h12.604l-3.844 4.106 1.252 1.338L24 16l-5.988-6.4-1.252 1.338 3.844 4.106H8v1.912z\" class=\"color-spacesuit-white\"><\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1536\" height=\"1000\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/s69-40022.jpg?w=1536\" class=\"attachment-1536x1536 size-1536x1536\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/s69-40022.jpg 5752w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/s69-40022.jpg?resize=300,195 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/s69-40022.jpg?resize=768,500 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/s69-40022.jpg?resize=1024,666 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/s69-40022.jpg?resize=1536,1000 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/s69-40022.jpg?resize=2048,1333 2048w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/s69-40022.jpg?resize=400,260 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/s69-40022.jpg?resize=600,390 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/s69-40022.jpg?resize=900,586 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/s69-40022.jpg?resize=1200,781 1200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/s69-40022.jpg?resize=2000,1301 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1536px) 100vw, 1536px\" \/><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>On Christmas Day in 1968, the three-man Apollo 8 crew of Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and Bill Anders found a surprise in their food locker: a specially packed Christmas dinner wrapped in foil and decorated with red and green ribbons. Something as simple as a \u201chome-cooked meal,\u201d or as close as NASA could get for [...]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":76,"featured_media":579276,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nasa_hds_core_meta_l10n":"en-US","nasa_hds_core_meta_article_editor":"34","nasa_hds_core_meta_article_contacts":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_article_topic":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_linked_locations":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_article_related_articles":["168688","130213","73994"],"hds_migrate_meta_pr_release_id":"","hds_migrate_meta_pr_release_type":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_location_x":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_location_y":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_gallery_images":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[2671,2934,3463,2656],"news-tags":[],"internal-terms":[12663],"coauthors":[8638],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"An Apollo 8 Christmas Dinner Surprise: Turkey and Gravy Make Space History","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/apollo-8-christmas-dinner\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/apollo-8-christmas-dinner\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/apollo-8-food.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/apollo-8-food.jpg"},"articleSection":"NASA History","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Jennifer Ross-Nazzal"}],"creator":["Jennifer Ross-Nazzal"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"NASA","logo":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/themes\/nasa\/assets\/images\/nasa-logo.svg"},"keywords":["Humans in Space","NASA History","Apollo 8","Frank Borman"],"dateCreated":"2023-12-22T14:15:00Z","datePublished":"2023-12-22T14:15:00Z","dateModified":"2024-05-28T19:00:40Z"},"rendered":"<meta name=\"parsely-title\" content=\"An Apollo 8 Christmas Dinner Surprise: Turkey and Gravy Make Space History\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-link\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/apollo-8-christmas-dinner\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-type\" content=\"post\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-image-url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/apollo-8-food.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-pub-date\" content=\"2023-12-22T14:15:00Z\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-section\" content=\"NASA History\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-tags\" content=\"Humans in Space,NASA History,Apollo 8,Frank Borman\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-author\" content=\"Jennifer Ross-Nazzal\" \/>","tracker_url":"https:\/\/cdn.parsely.com\/keys\/nasa.gov\/p.js"},"read_time":6,"time_ago":"6 months","featured_image":{"id":579276,"file":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/apollo-8-food.jpg","title":"The Apollo 8 Christmas Dinner","alt":"4 packets of food and a spoon wrapped in plastic that were served to the Apollo 8 crew for Christmas","caption":"The Apollo 8 Christmas menu included dehydrated grape drink, cranberry-applesauce, and coffee, as well as a wetpack containing turkey and gravy."},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/579192"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/76"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=579192"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/579192\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":665584,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/579192\/revisions\/665584"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/579276"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=579192"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=579192"},{"taxonomy":"news-tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-tags?post=579192"},{"taxonomy":"internal-terms","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/internal-terms?post=579192"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=579192"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}