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This extraordinary delivery was successfully accomplished by Japanese businessman Yusaku Maezawa. Traveling 248 miles (over 399 km), he arrived at the ISS at 9:40 a.m. (North American time) on December 11th and delivered a compact meal, suitable for working in space, including pre-packaged Japanese food.
The order was delivered to the International Space Station. - Photo: Spacetoday
"Thank you for coming to space," said Anton Shkaplerov, commander of the ISS, as he received his meal, carefully packaged in a brown Uber Eats paper bag.
Upon successful delivery, Maezawa expressed his gratitude in Japanese, saying, "I just delivered some delicious food. Thank you everyone for giving me the opportunity to make my first delivery in space." The order included mackerel cooked with miso, chicken and bamboo shoots, braised pork, and a bowl of Japanese beef.
Yusaku Maezawa, wearing a white t-shirt, shorts, and an Uber Eats baseball cap, poses for a commemorative photo with the astronaut. - Photo: Spacetoday
Maezawa was one of the first self-paid space tourists to visit the ISS since 2009. According to the Associated Press, the 46-year-old did not disclose the exact amount he paid for his 12-day trip, but suggested it was in the range of $80 million.
Regarding his partnership with the food delivery service, he said, "Uber Eats' initiative and sense of adventure have inspired me. I will continue to challenge myself in the future, and I hope that others will do the same. Let's make the world a better place!"
To celebrate its first space voyage of 248 miles, Uber Eats is currently offering a $10 discount on orders of $20 or more for the first 24,800 customers using the code SPACEFOOD from December 13th to 19th.
