Sunita Williams was making spicy chutney in space, when an accident happened

New Delhi: Sunita Williams is going to step back on earth after spending about 9 months in the mystery and depths of space. SpaceX’s spacecraft Dragon, which went to bring back Indian-origin astronaut Sunita and her companions, will land in the sea tomorrow (Wednesday) morning. This will be a thrilling moment of man’s experiments with science.

The expanse of space and the complexities of the International Space Station are not new to Sunita Williams. Sunita Williams has traveled to space three times and has spent a total of more than 600 days in space. But her first mission (2006-2007) was very special. Then Sunita went to space for the first time. During this time, Sunita, who was caught in the web of microgravity, weightlessness and pressure, forgot to eat a ‘spicy’ and an interesting accident happened.

The passengers going on space missions have to go through long training sessions. Health, hygiene and food are an important part of their training. But there are many things about which training cannot be given. Like making spicy chutney in space. Talking about the taste of the tongue amidst science experiments may seem strange but who has control over the taste. That too when someone’s roots are from India. Where people are crazy about spices.

The craving to taste wasabi and then…
During her first mission in the International Space Station, Sunita had a craving to taste wasabi. It is worth mentioning that Sunita, whose father was born in India, is a great foodie. To satisfy her craving for spicy taste, Re-Supply Mission had sent Sunita a tube of wasabi.

Let us tell you that wasabi is a spicy, green spice used in Japanese cuisine. It is made from the root of a plant called Wasabia Japonica, which grows in watery areas. Its taste is very sharp and tingling to the nose, which is similar to mustard or chilli. It is often served with sushi or sashimi.

Sunita was trying to make a sushi meal with packed salmon fish, when she pressed the tube to take out a small amount of wasabi. So with a little pressure, this spicy pungent thing came out completely. What happened after this was even more surprising. In normal circumstances, the wasabi coming out of the tube should have collected in the vessel.

‘Spicy’ accident of gravity-pressure and science
But here the micro gravity and pressure science of space showed wonders and the wasabi spread in that entire area of ​​the International Space Station. Actually, by opening the tube, the wasabi started flying around and a strange floating wasabi started appearing all around.

Let us tell you that on Earth, things fall down due to gravity, but in space, wasabi will come out in the form of small particles or pellets and start floating around. Gravity is extremely low in space, so liquids or paste (like wasabi) do not fall down, but float due to surface tension and air flow.

There may be a slight pressure of air or gas in the tube, which pushes the wasabi out as soon as it is opened, especially if it is opened in the wrong way. Due to this, the wasabi can spray out rapidly, like a small fountain and then scatter in the air. These particles can go into the eyes, nose or equipment of the astronauts, which can cause irritation or technical problems.

This is what happened to Sunita that day. According to the American website NBC News, Sunita had narrated this entire incident to her mother from space. Boston radio station WBZ had arranged this conversation. Sunita then told her mother, “We had a hard time cleaning the smell of wasabi, it had spread all around. We were upset. Then Sunita Williams said that I don’t think we will use it anymore. It is very dangerous.

Kadhi Pakora, Matar Paneer in Sunita’s lunch box
Let us tell you that people traveling to space are allowed to carry their favorite dishes in their bonus container. So that they can enjoy their favorite food in the lonely moments of space. According to NBC News, during this time Sunita’s lunch box contains Punjabi Kadhi with Pakoras – vegetable pakoras with curd and curry – and Matar Paneer. These dishes are packed to be kept for a long time in space.

It is worth noting that fresh fruits and vegetables are rare in space, and ground foods like bread are impractical because they leave pieces, which fly everywhere instead of settling on the floor in microgravity, and cleaning them is a difficult task. Is.