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Nutella Jar’s Zero-G Cameo on Artemis II Goes Viral as NASA Denies Product Placement

NASA says the viral sighting was not product placement, reflecting strict rules on preapproved crew meals.

Overview

  • During Monday’s livestream, a jar of Nutella drifted through Orion’s cabin about four minutes before the Artemis II crew surpassed Apollo 13’s distance mark.
  • Nutella reposted the clip on X with playful copy, and NASA’s Kennedy Space Center replied in kind, driving a wave of “free ad” jokes across social media.
  • NASA press secretary Bethany Stevens said the moment was not a brand deal and added that the agency does not choose crew food through partnerships.
  • The jar is part of the approved menu, which includes a listed “chocolate spread,” and NASA favors tortilla-friendly, crumb-free foods that are safe in microgravity.
  • The four astronauts are heading home after the lunar flyby, with splashdown targeted for Friday, April 10, in the Pacific near San Diego following a brief far-side blackout and eclipse views.