Apollo Space Food Pack - Day 1 / Meal C

This is an original, complete Apollo meal space food pack bearing blue velcro squares, meaning it would have been intended for the Lunar Module Pilot. The front label reads "Day-1, Meal-C" with serial number "FAC 117" on the reverse.

Archive Id AP-SFP-D1MC

DESCRIPTION

This original, complete, and unopened Apollo space food meal packet contains 5 individual food rations as well as a hand wipe. Two of the internal food packet labels are visible which is the orange-grapefruit drink and brownies, with the other food packets most likely being chocolate pudding, sandwich bites, and bread bites. The original label bears the day and meal number "Day 1, Meal C", as well as the WSD (Whirlpool Space Division) stamp with a stamped ID number reading "8027". On the reverse is a label that reads "Serial No: FAC 117".

On the front of the pack is a single blue velcro square. Velcro was used on all food packets, tools, and even checklists within the spacecraft so that they could be stuck down as to not float away while the astronaut wasn't looking.

Throughout the Apollo Program, there were three colours of velcro used on space food and drink; red, white, and blue, the colours of the American flag. Red was intended for the Mission Commander, white for the Command Module Pilot, and blue for the Lunar Module Pilot. Therefore this packet would have been intended for the Lunar Module Pilot.

Authentication Information:

This space food packet is guaranteed to be Apollo 7-era. Indicators of this being Apollo 7-era are the fact that the germicide tablet on the inner food packets is external, temperature is referenced on the visible cocoa space food packet, and that the pack itself bears blue velcro squares.

Throughout Project Gemini and up to Apollo 7, the germicide tablets were all stored externally in a separate pouch as exhibited in this space food. Though, unlike Gemini, Apollo had access to hot and cold water, therefore any reference to water temperature places this in Apollo. Additionally, Project Gemini only used white velcro on the meal packs, whereas during the Apollo Program three colours were used; red, white, and blue, the colours of the American flag. These factors combined prove that this was manufactured during the Apollo 7-era.