Marking a historic milestone in culinary innovation, DoubleTree by Hilton has sent its iconic chocolate chip cookie to space, becoming the first food ever baked in the cosmos. This pioneering experiment, conducted aboard the International Space Station (ISS), aimed to enhance the comfort and hospitality of long-duration space travel.
The groundbreaking venture, initiated in 2019, placed DoubleTree at the forefront of space exploration as the first hospitality company to engage in ISS research. Partnering with Zero G Kitchen and Nanoracks, DoubleTree developed a space-friendly oven to bake the cookie, which successfully orbited Earth in 2020 for testing. The cookie’s aroma filled the ISS, creating a comforting and familiar touch in the vastness of space.
Upon its return, the DoubleTree cookie embarked on a journey from the Johnson Space Center to the National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Virginia. It is now proudly displayed in an air-tight exhibition box, commemorating its historic mission.
Shawn McAteer, DoubleTree by Hilton’s brand leader, highlighted the significance of the spacefaring cookie, reflecting the brand’s unwavering commitment to hospitality and innovation. He noted that DoubleTree’s mission aligns with Hilton’s long-standing fascination with space exploration, harkening back to Barron Hilton’s ambitious plans for a lunar-based hotel during the Space Race.
Visitors to the Udvar-Hazy Center can marvel at the space-baked DoubleTree cookie, a testament to the ingenuity and culinary exploration that enhances the human experience in space. Those seeking a terrestrial treat can indulge in a warm, original DoubleTree chocolate chip cookie or an allergy-friendly version at any DoubleTree by Hilton hotel in the United States, including the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Sterling – Dulles Airport, conveniently located near the museum.