Cookies in space? Hilton is sending dough and an oven to ISS
The prototype space-friendly oven is part of a microgravity cooking experiment.
- I've been covering technology and mobile for 12 years, first as a telecommunications reporter and assistant editor at ZDNet in Australia, then as CNET's West Coast head of breaking news, and now in the Thought Leadership team.
Hilton wants astronauts eating its double chocolate chip cookies.
Astronauts in the International Space Station will soon be snacking on double chocolate chip cookies from DoubleTree by Hilton if all goes according to plan. The hotel chain will be sending a batch of cookie dough and a prototype space-friendly oven up on a rocket later this year as part of a microgravity cooking experiment.
The lack of gravity in space limits what can be consumed up there, with astronauts needing to avoid food with a lot of crumbs or particles that could float around and damage equipment.
"As we celebrate our 100th year, we're excited to send our hospitality into orbit," said Shawn McAteer, senior VP and global brand head of DoubleTree by Hilton. He added the goal is to share the moment of enjoying a warm cookie with the astronauts up in the ISS.
Hilton is partnering with space appliance maker Zero G Kitchen on the project, and will gain commercial access to space through provider NanoRacks.
The hotel chain is also launching a "hospitality in space" program for 50,000 middle school classrooms across the nation in partnership with Scholastic. The lesson and activity sheet will help kids learn about living and working in space. The program is also running a competition on ideas for helping people live in space more comfortably.
