In an incident that has left NASA’s IT department both baffled and amused, a helpdesk ticket was submitted this week after an astronaut on a remote mission reported what they believed to be a delivery delay from an intergalactic food courier. The confusion arose when Commander Tim Flannagan mistook the Mars rover Perseverance for a Deliveroo driver lost in space.
The ticket, titled “Urgent: Where’s my order? Rover not showing up,” was filed from the International Space Station’s onboard helpdesk system. Commander Flannagan described in detail that he had been expecting a package — specifically a batch of spicy chicken wings and a side of curly fries — ordered via an experimental “Galactic Eats” app that supposedly connects astronauts with Earth-based restaurants via AI-controlled drones and rovers.
“I’ve been staring out the viewport for hours watching the little rover crawl across the Martian plains. At first, I thought, ‘Progress! My food’s on its way!’ Then I realized it just kept zigzagging around rocks and did not respond to my calls or map directions at all,” Flannagan wrote. “Is there an option to send an actual delivery driver up here? Because I’m beginning to think this rover is just sightseeing.”
The helpdesk team, after an initial double-take, responded with a mix of gentle explanations and witty banter. The reply clarified Perseverance’s sole mission: scientific exploration, not fast food delivery. They reminded Commander Flannagan that while the rover can gather soil samples and capture crystal-clear video footage, it unfortunately has no culinary skills — or any understanding of GPS shortcuts.
One particularly heroic IT support staff member suggested Flannagan try Earth-based takeout apps with more terrestrial delivery options, joking that “Right now, the only Galactic Eats available might have to be rehydrated freeze-dried astronaut food.”
The exchange quickly became an inside joke among the team, especially after Flannagan mentioned his yearning for a “Midnight Mars Munchie Special” complete with zero-gravity dipping sauce. NASA’s helpdesk is now reportedly considering adding a new FAQ for future missions, titled: “How not to confuse scientific equipment with your dinner delivery.”
Meanwhile, Perseverance continues its serious work, blissfully unaware that it was the subject of one of the universe’s most unusual customer complaints. And Commander Flannagan? He’s promised to stick to the menu of space rations — at least until interplanetary Deliveroo becomes a reality.