Astronauts in the International Space Station are now enjoying the delights of DoubleTree by Hilton’s famous signature warm chocolate chip cookie after the treat became the first food to be blasted off and baked in outer space.
In partnership with Zero G Kitchen and NanoRacks, a batch of specially prepared DoubleTree cookie dough launched from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility at 9:59am US Eastern Time on Saturday 2 November, attached to a rocket and bound for the space station. The cookies will be baked utilising a prototype oven comprised of a cylindrical insulated container designed to bake food samples in a microgravity environment by carefully venting to allow the oven to operate safely within the highly controlled environment.
While the cookies actually baked in space will become scientific experiments and will be studied extensively both during their time in space and again upon their return to Earth, a pre-baked batch of cookies was also packed into the space-bound parcel for the astronauts onboard to enjoy at their leisure. Once back on Earth, the cookies will be assessed to determine the outcome of the experiment and the performance of the insulated oven.
DoubleTree by Hilton Senior Vice President and Global Brand Head, Shawn McAteer, said the company was thrilled to be sending its hospitality into orbit as part of Hilton’s year of 100th anniversary celebrations.
“While Hilton has had many firsts throughout its 100-year history, this experiment will mark Hilton as the first hospitality company to participate in research aboard the space station”.
“Opening up the frontier of space means making it relatable to people’s everyday lives, and what could be more relatable than a freshly baked cookie,” questioned Zero G Kitchen founders Ian and Jordana Fichtenbaum.