Apollo 8-17-era Banana Pudding Space Food Packet

This is an original Apollo-era Banana Pudding space food packet bearing all original labels and two blue velcro squares, intended for the Lunar Module Pilot.

Archive Id APE-BP-SF

DESCRIPTION

This original, Apollo 8 to 17-era space food packet contains banana pudding that when hydrated would have been consumed by the Apollo astronauts had it flown aboard one of the missions to the moon. The original label bears the name of the food contents, as well as the WSD (Whirlpool Space Division) stamp with a stamped ID number reading "8320".

On the reverse is a label that reads "Serial No: FAN 437" and two blue velcro squares. 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 colors of velcro used on space food and drink; red, white and blue, the colors 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 8 to 17-era. It was originally in a collection of Apollo-era food packets and also bears two blue velcro squares, an Apollo food packet characteristic. Additionally, the label makes reference to water temperature, a feature not developed until the Apollo Program. Lastly, there is an internal germicide tablet, this method of storage was used from Apollo 8 onwards.

The food packet also came with original Melpar Inc. documentation, and while this documentation mentions the banana pudding food packet by name, it does not reference any identifying traits that can be used to guarantee that the paperwork was intended for this particular food packet. On that note, to our knowledge, no Melpar Inc. paperwork we have seen references any serial number in general.