An unexpected scene during a historic deep space mission captured the attention of global social media. A jar of Nutella was seen floating leisurely in NASA’s live broadcast while the Artemis II crew was returning from their lunar proximity mission. This historic moment, marking the first human deep space mission since the Apollo era, was highlighted by the appearance of a hazelnut chocolate spread enjoying weightlessness.
[Key Points of This Article]
▶ Nutella jar spotted in the broadcast as the crew returned from lunar proximity mission
▶ NASA officially clarified it as approved food unrelated to brand partnerships
▶ Artemis II was on the verge of breaking Apollo 13’s longest distance record
▶ Nutella marketing team quickly joined, sparking a debate about unintended space advertising
The Moment Nutella Floated
The scene in question occurred on April 7th, local time, during NASA’s live broadcast. It happened as the four Artemis II crew members were completing a distant lunar flight and re-entering Earth’s return orbit.
A Nutella jar slowly slid into the camera’s angle. About four minutes later, the crew surpassed the distance record of 400,000 km from Earth set by Apollo 13 in 1970.
Just before setting a historic milestone, Nutella was there. It was a remarkable coincidence in terms of timing.
Online reactions were immediate. Comments such as “The best PPL in space history,” and “The Nutella marketing team must be getting a bonus now,” poured in. Memes and altered images quickly spread online, including Nutella advertisement parodies with the Moon as the background.
Why NASA Intervened
As the controversy grew, NASA spokesperson Bethany Stephens issued an official statement. “NASA does not select foods or compile crew diets in connection with brand partnerships,” firmly stating, “This is unrelated to product sponsorship.”
According to NASA’s explanation, the Nutella jar in question was included in a pre-approved food list like any other menu item. During the approximately 10-day mission, the crew consumed familiar foods such as mac and cheese, beef brisket, and scrambled eggs. Therefore, having a jar of Nutella among space meal pouches was not particularly unusual.
However, in a zero-gravity environment, unfixed objects float freely. Nutella appearing in front of the camera was a consequence of this physical law. There were no safety concerns, and the mission schedule was not impacted.
But Nutella Was Different
While NASA waved off the incident, the Nutella marketing team moved in the opposite direction. They utilized this situation in a fun manner through their official channels, leveraging the publicity. From the company’s standpoint, their brand was exposed globally in a space live broadcast without spending a dime.
Even the NASA Kennedy Space Center joined in light-heartedly by posting on X (formerly Twitter), “While Artemis crew are taking stunning photos of the Moon, they’re also enjoying sweet snacks.” It struck a balance between official explanation and light humor.
This strange vacuum zone occurs when the intentional and the unintentional collide. It was no exception, both in space and in ground promotions.
The Legacy of Artemis II
Beyond the Nutella controversy, the mission made substantial history. It marked the first human deep-space manned spaceflight since Apollo 17 landed on the Moon in 1972. Most notably, it broke the Earth’s longest distance record held by Apollo 13 for 54 years, a fact of considerable symbolism.
The crew completed planned missions such as photographing the lunar surface and checking the Orion spacecraft systems. The return schedule is proceeding as planned. Whether Nutella is still floating inside the spacecraft on its way back to Earth is unknown.