The Cosmic Corned Beef Sandwich: A Fun Fact Story of Food in Space
Always check what they put in your pockets.
A new illustrated story from Silly Butts Food Fan Facts.
Once upon a time, an astronaut named Wally Schirra loved to play tricks in the sunny town of Cocoa Beach, Florida. He was always coming up with clever schemes to surprise his friends.
One day, Wally's buddy, John Young, was preparing for a space mission called Gemini 3. Wally wanted to give him a gift that would make him smile from ear to ear. He knew just the thing – a cosmic corned beef sandwich!
With mischief in his eyes, Wally sprinted into Wolfie's Restaurant and Sandwich Shop. He was determined to create a sandwich that would go down in history. He wanted John to have a lunch he would always remember.
You see, Wally was known for his pranks. So, it was no surprise when he slyly slipped the sandwich into John's pocket. What a surprise it would be when John discovered it floating in space.
Gus Grissom and John Young were the brave astronauts chosen for this mission.
They were about to make history by performing the first orbital maneuver ever attempted by humans.
The 1960s and 1970s were a time of fierce competition between the United States and the Soviet Union as they raced to conquer space.
But amidst all the seriousness and tension, a little secret was hidden in John's pocket.
As they soared through space, Gus and John decided it was time for a snack.
That's when the corned beef sandwich made its grand appearance!
Astronauts were peacefully munching on the sandwich when they noticed something unexpected.
Tiny crumbs started floating all around the spacecraft, threatening the delicate electronics. They couldn't have that!
Quickly, Gus and John packed up the sandwich and brought it back to Earth.
Little did they know that this innocent snack would cause a massive international scandal once the politicians found out.
NASA, the agency responsible for space exploration, had to make a statement to calm the storm.
They declared, "We promise never to let sandwiches fly in space again!"
It was a wild turn of events, but the legend of the corned beef sandwich would live on.
Today, you can find a replica of that famous sandwich in a museum in Mitchell, Indiana.
It serves as a reminder of the mischievous spirit of those early space missions.
By the way, NASA keeps its word. Astronauts now enjoy crumb-free tortillas instead of sandwiches in space.
No more flying sandwiches, no more flying crumbs!
But even though sandwiches may be off the menu in zero gravity, the cosmic corned beef sandwich will forever be remembered as a fun and quirky part of space and food history.