CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- John Glenn may be a 77-year-old medical marvel to NASA and just about everybody else on the planet, but he still may need help making all systems go.
He will have Metamucil aboard when he rockets away from Earth on Thursday.
The world's oldest astronaut has requested Metamucil wafers, the apple crisp variety, to snack on during Discovery's nine-day flight. The next-oldest shuttle crew member, 46-year-old Japanese astronaut Chiaki Mukai, also put in an order, for cinnamon spice.
No one else on the crew apparently wants, or needs, the 100 percent natural fiber wafers, intended to help those suffering from constipation, troubled bowels or hemorrhoids.
"It's important for all of us to have to worry about regularity, especially when we're out in space," said Dr. Dave Williams, an astronaut who is the life sciences director at Johnson Space Center.
"This is news to us," said Tracey Long, a spokeswoman for the maker of Metamucil, Cincinnati-based Procter & Gamble Co. "We were not aware that Senator Glenn would be taking our Metamucil, but we're certainly excited to be part of his historic journey.
"These were meant to be portable, and I guess this just proves you can take them anywhere," Ms. Long said.
