The term “comfort food” refers to a food that evokes a sense of well-being in people, often linked to childhood memories and home cooking. According to current studies, comfort foods are associated with an emotional comfort experience and there is growing interest in their use for therapeutic purposes, including in Space.

Space agencies have been exploring this topic, especially in view of future missions to Mars, where comfort food is considered a key element to mitigate stress. Among the most popular comfort foods is ice cream, which, besides being a food that could potentially be produced on site without the use of electricity, could play a significant role in improving the mood and psychological well-being of the crew.

By imagining astronauts as pioneers of a new world, Archaic aims to demonstrate that the scarcity of resources and the many limitations of extreme environments do not prevent design from creating a positive experience that can bring both physical and psychological benefits to astronauts.

The ice-cream maker, essential in its form, is designed to make the most of the ingredients, materials and limited resources available during the first missions to the Moon and Mars. It is 80 per cent made directly on the lunar surface by 3D printers using regolith. It consists of an aluminium container lined with a cooling layer filled with 3M® liquid, an insulating outer shell of regolith and a spatula-pestle for processing the fruit and whisking the mixture. It requires no electricity and allows customised food preparation.