An astronaut on a solo mission to Mars was halfway through his journey when he decided to take a much-needed lunch break. He opened his specially designed, vacuum-sealed food pouch, revealing a dehydrated beef stew.
He took a bite, chewed thoughtfully, and then contacted mission control. “Houston, we have a problem,” he reported, his voice a little strained.
The voice from mission control, calm and professional, replied, “Go ahead, Alpha Seven. What’s the issue?”
“It’s this beef stew,” the astronaut sighed. “It’s… remarkably bland. I mean, it tastes like recycled cardboard.”
A chuckle could be heard from the other end. “Roger that, Alpha Seven. We designed the food for maximum nutritional value and minimal weight. Flavor wasn’t exactly top priority.”
“Well, it’s impacting morale!” the astronaut insisted. “Is there anything you can do? Anything at all to make this edible?”
There was a brief pause from mission control. Then, the voice returned, a hint of amusement in it. “Alright, Alpha Seven, we’ve got a suggestion, but it’s a bit unconventional. Try adding… more space.”
The astronaut frowned. “More space? What does that even mean?”
“Just open another food pouch,” mission control advised. “Because in space, no one can hear you scream for seasoning.”