Thailand plans to shoot durian into orbit to test its durability in a project that could see the staple “king of fruits” consumed in zero-gravity conditions. “In the future we want astronauts to be able to eat Thai food,” said a spokesperson for Thailand’s Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA). The fruit’s reputation raises questions about how it will be received inside such close confines as a spaceship. Liftoff is scheduled for July, when packages of durian will be sealed, placed in a box and rocketed into space for five minutes. Advances in technology and the growing number of countries sending their citizens into space have enriched astronauts’ controlled cuisine with new flavours.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer June 01, 2018 10:52 UTC