MOSCOW, September 13. /TASS/. A special diet for Russia’s space crew who will perform the first flight to the Moon has already been developed and includes products with radioprotective properties, the head of the space nutrition section at the Research Institute of Food Concentration Industry and Special Food Technology Andrey Vedernikov told TASS.
"For the crew of the new spacecraft [Orel], a diet with radioprotective properties has been developed, which differs slightly from the cosmonauts’ current diet," Vedernikov said. "It is based on products with radioprotective properties. Also, they have a somewhat longer shelf life."
The diet includes foods that contribute to the removal of free radicals.
"For example, beets, pumpkins, and apples, which are rich in fiber," he noted. "High-fiber fruits have a radioprotective property. Fiber absorbs free radicals and removes them from the body. A beetroot salad has been developed, consisting of apples, beets, and nuts. It was also included in the rations for the new spacecraft’s crews. Fruit bars are also on the menu."
Russia’s new generation crewed spacecraft Orel (formerly called Federation) is being created as part of Russia’s lunar program. As the Russian space corporation Roscosmos said earlier, the first Orel is scheduled to blast off from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in April or June 2024. No docking with the ISS is due. The second flight and a docking with the station is planned to be carried out in 2024. The second flight will be crewless, too. The first crewed flight may take place in 2025.