No Alcohol, No Meat? What Was Allowed By NASA At Shubhanshu Shukla’s ISS Farewell?

Last Updated:July 14, 2025, 13:01 IST

Shubhanshu Shukla’s farewell on the ISS was streamed live, featuring no alcohol or non-veg food. NASA’s rules ensure pre-approved meals and video call goodbyes

When we picture a farewell party, we imagine music, food, maybe a few drinks, and some heartfelt goodbyes. But when the send-off happens 400 kms above Earth, like the one recently held for Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla aboard the International Space Station (ISS), the rules are very different. No champagne toasts. No buffet table. And definitely no non-veg.

Shukla and a few fellow astronauts were honored in a small, carefully scripted farewell ceremony on the ISS, streamed live back to Earth. The event prompted a flurry of curiosity online: What exactly happens at a space farewell? Do astronauts eat cake? Is music allowed? Can they talk to family? Here’s how it works.

The ISS might look laid-back in photos, with astronauts floating around grinning in T-shirts, but NASA and its international partners have laid down a dense manual of rules. These stem from the 1998 Intergovernmental Agreement and the Crew Code of Conduct (CCOC), documents signed by agencies like NASA, Roscosmos, ESA, JAXA, and CSA.

Any crew gathering, including farewells, must be coordinated with Earth-based mission control centres in Houston and Moscow. These aren’t parties in the traditional sense. They’re brief, structured ceremonies where the departing astronauts thank colleagues, reflect on the mission, and hand over responsibilities to the incoming team.

So What’s Actually Served?

Forget space steaks or a glass of wine. NASA bans alcohol, non-vegetarian food, and any intoxicants aboard the ISS. Meals are limited to pre-approved dehydrated or thermostabilised food, prepared weeks in advance and vacuum-sealed for zero-gravity handling. At most, astronauts might “celebrate” with a snack pack of rehydrated mac and cheese or a bar of chocolate.

Any item not previously cleared, down to utensils, can’t be used. Even the smell of strong food is considered disruptive in a closed-loop system like the ISS, where air is recycled and shared.

Music? Maybe

Astronauts are allowed to play music, but only if it doesn’t interrupt station communications or disturb experiments. There are no impromptu karaoke sessions or loud goodbyes. Every action, every sound, is logged and monitored from Earth.

Family Time, Through A Screen

One emotional part of the farewell is the video call with family, conducted with support from mission control. Astronauts float in microgravity, waving goodbye and sharing final thoughts before undocking. These messages are often moving and symbolic, emphasising unity, cooperation, and the high-stakes nature of human spaceflight.

In Shubhanshu Shukla’s case, it was also a moment of national pride. An Indian astronaut taking part in such ceremonies marks a quiet but significant milestone for India’s presence in space exploration.

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