Artemis 2 set a new human-distance record, reaching 252,752 miles from Earth during its lunar flyby. A jar of Nutella was filmed floating through the Orion cabin about four minutes before the milestone, prompting viral social reactions and jokes about free publicity for Ferrero. NASA denied any product-placement claims, and the crew’s menu includes mac and cheese, beef brisket and 58 tortillas to enjoy the hazelnut spread.
Artemis 2 Breaks Human Distance Record — and a Jar of Nutella Floats Aboard
A lone jar of Nutella could be seen floating through the cabin of NASA's Moon astronauts minutes before they set an important record.
NASA’s Artemis 2 mission set a new human-distance record when the Orion spacecraft carrying four astronauts reached 252,752 miles from Earth during a lunar flyby. The milestone — the farthest any humans have traveled from our planet — was accompanied by an unexpectedly domestic sight: a single jar of Nutella drifting through the cabin about four minutes before the record was reached.
Moment Goes Viral
Video of the floating jar circulated widely online and prompted lighthearted reaction. Some social posts celebrated the sight as a charming human moment amid a historic mission, while others joked about the free publicity for Ferrero, the Italian maker of Nutella. A few critics accused NASA of staging product placement, a claim the agency promptly rejected.
NASA Responds
“NASA does not select crew meals or food in association with brand partnerships,” agency press secretary Bethany Stevens told Futurism. “This was not a product placement.”
Life Aboard Orion
Beyond the hazelnut spread, the crew’s menu includes mac and cheese, beef brisket, broccoli au gratin and scrambled eggs, plus ample hot sauce and coffee. To enjoy the Nutella without utensils or crumbs, the astronauts brought 58 tortillas, according to Scientific American — plenty of flatbread for sharing and spreading.
Historic Achievement With a Human Touch
While the mission has included minor inconveniences — like reports of a finicky toilet and the use of cocoon-style sleeping bags during the ten-day flight — the floating jar of Nutella offered a relatable, lighthearted moment as the crew achieved a major milestone for human spaceflight.
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