NASA Sports Drink Gives Everyone the Right Stuff

Spacewalks, extreme G forces, micro-gravity - astronauts must be able to handle it all. Staying hydrated and healthy is crucial.

To help astronauts avoid muscle fatigue and dizziness from dehydration, NASA scientists developed an electrolyte formula that is now available for weekend warriors and athletes here on Earth. The formula is a concentrated liquid that when mixed with water quickly restores hydration and prevents fluid loss.

Scientists at NASA's Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif., put 15 years of research into the drink's development. NASA astronauts have been drinking the formula on missions for nearly 20 years. The commercial version was licensed to Wellness Brands Inc. of Boulder, Colo., and branded "The Right Stuff." They shipped their first orders on June 11.

"We developed the hydration formula to perform optimally under the most extreme conditions. The health of our highly trained astronauts was paramount," said John Greenleaf, a former Ames research scientist and inventor of the formula, in a recent statement. "With all that Americans and the government have invested in the space program and our astronauts, this is one clear way to protect and maximize that investment."