Nutella Goes Viral After Floating in NASA Artemis II Spacecraft

A jar of Nutella chocolate-hazelnut spread became a viral sensation after appearing in a NASA livestream during the Artemis II mission, with social media users describing the moment as one of the most effective unplanned advertisements in history.

The incident occurred aboard the Orion spacecraft, where a tub of the spread was seen floating out of the kitchen area in zero gravity. The jar drifted and turned in a manner that perfectly framed the label, creating a professional-looking product shot that quickly spread across social media platforms.

The appearance of the spread took place approximately four minutes before the Artemis II crew reached a historic milestone on April 7, 2026. The crew surpassed the previous distance record set by the Apollo 13 mission in 1970, which was 248,655 miles from Earth.

According to reports from Futurism, the four astronauts reached a maximum distance of 252,752 miles as the Orion spacecraft traveled around the Moon.

Corporate and Agency Response

Nutella’s marketing team acknowledged the viral clip by sharing the video and stating they were Honored to have traveled further than any spread in history. Taking spreading smiles to new heights.

NASA’s Kennedy Space Center also participated in the social media trend, posting on X that the agency was Enjoying sweet treats while our Artemis crew takes sweet photos of the Moon!

The unexpected publicity led some internet users to accuse NASA of staging the moment as a form of product placement. However, NASA press secretary Bethany Stevens denied these claims in a statement to Futurism, clarifying that the agency does not select crew meals in association with brand partnerships and that This was not a product placement.

Mission Details and Crew Experience

The Artemis II crew consists of Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, and mission specialist Christina Koch from NASA, along with mission specialist Jeremy Hansen from the Canadian Space Agency.

Beyond the Nutella, the astronauts’ menu included beef brisket, macaroni and cheese, scrambled eggs, and broccoli au gratin, supplemented by coffee and a large amount of hot sauce.

The mission included several other high-stakes events. The crew experienced a planned 40-minute communications blackout while the spacecraft passed behind the far side of the Moon, reaching a closest approach of approximately 4,057 miles above the lunar surface.

After regaining contact with mission control at approximately 7:25 p.m. ET on April 7, 2026, the astronauts observed and captured images of a rare solar eclipse, documenting the Sun’s corona and various planets during the flyby.

Return Journey

The crew is currently on a ten-day mission and is scheduled to return to Earth over the course of four days. The Orion capsule is projected to splash down in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego on April 10, 2026, following its initial launch from Florida.