The "Progress MS-34" cargo ship will head to the ISS on April 26. According to TASS, citing the Institute of Biomedical Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences, in addition to fuel and water, the "truck" will carry a non-standard set: sweets, nuts, cheese sauce, ketchup, dried meat, and dried fish. ISS Commander Sergei Kud-Sverchkov additionally ordered condensed milk, chocolate, knitted toys, a St. George ribbon, letters in envelopes, and fitness gloves.
Oleg Ryumin, a specialist in psychophysiological support for flights, explained: the standard diet is rich, but in flight, you always want "something familiar." According to him, sweets lift the mood during intense shifts. For cosmonauts, this is not a whim, but an element of psychological stability on a months-long watch.
NASA and ESA have long practiced sending "goodies" and personal items—this reduces stress in isolation. The Russian program is following the same path, but with a national flavor: the St. George ribbon and knitted toys maintain a connection with home.
