The Last Meal Neil Armstrong And Buzz Aldrin Had Before Going To The Moon

Space exploration is fascinating, down to the meals that astronauts eat. The science of making food meant to be eaten in zero gravity — hot dogs made it to space, too — is a complicated and intricate process. Even something as simple as drinking cups are specially designed for space travel.

Before they ate the first official meal on the moon, astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin had one last meal together, on Earth. Along with pilot Michael Collins, the trio shared a simple breakfast together. All in all, the meal included steak, eggs, coffee, and a slice of celebratory cake. This may seem like an unusually simple last meal before their trip, especially since space food isn't necessarily known as fine dining. However, this specific meal is actually a tradition over at NASA, extending back to missions long before the Apollo series. To this day, this traditional last meal is still enjoyed by many astronauts.

A last meal of steak and eggs first appeared in 1961 before NASA's first human launch. It was Alan Shepard who initially participated in what would ultimately become a tradition for NASA. Since then, this meal has been served before space flights for Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, and subsequent space shuttle missions.

Beyond the meal being a tribute to NASA's first human flight, it remains popular for nutritional purposes. This meal is considered low in fiber, which essentially means the astronauts wouldn't need to use the bathroom right after they ate. Initially, spacecraft didn't necessarily have a restroom on board, so it was essential to have a meal that would be filling and nutritious while avoiding the need for a bathroom break. Plus, steak and eggs are also a great source of protein, so the meal was a perfect combination of several aspects. Today, astronauts have a larger variety of dishes to choose from but steak and eggs still remains a popular favorite.