50 Years After Apollo 11, Here's What (And How) Astronauts Are Eating

In 1969, Charles Bourland flew to Houston to interview for a food scientist position at NASA's Johnson Space Center. From his hotel's lobby, he watched with millions of Americans as Apollo astronauts took their first steps on the moon.

It was a "pretty impressive thing" to witness while considering a NASA job, he remembers with a chuckle.

Bourland, now 82, came onboard that year; he retired in 2000. In his 31 years as a NASA food scientist, he did a lot of things to improve the quality of what astronauts eat, including adding potassium back into processed goods.

Being a NASA food scientist can be tricky — the team has had to address a range of challenges, from extending shelf lives by years to maximizing nutritional value and minimizing weight to keeping