This special delivery was successfully completed by Japanese businessman Yusaku Maezawa. Traveling a distance of 248 miles (more than 399 km), he arrived at the ISS at 9:40 a.m. (North American time) on December 11 and delivered a light, space-friendly meal consisting of Japanese pre-packaged 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 the food, carefully wrapped in a brown Uber Eats paper bag.
Upon successful delivery, Maezawa said in Japanese, "I just delivered some delicious food. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to make my first delivery into space." The order included miso-cooked mackerel, chicken and bamboo shoots, braised pork, and a bowl of Japanese beef.
Yusaku Maezawa - wearing a white T-shirt, shorts and an Uber Eats cap - took a commemorative photo with the astronaut. - Photo: Spacetoday
Maezawa is one of the first self-paying 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 region of $80 million.
Regarding the partnership with the food delivery service, he said, "Uber Eats' innovation and sense of adventure have inspired me. I will continue to challenge myself in the future, hoping that everyone will continue to do the same. Let's make the world a better place!"
To celebrate the first 248-mile space delivery, Uber Eats is now offering $10 off orders of $20 or more to the first 24,800 customers who use the code SPACEFOOD between December 13 and 19.
