United States Civil Service Commission Federal Woman's Award University of Dayton Distinguished Alumni Award Rita Rapp (June 25, 1928 - July 12, 1989) was an American physiologist who led the Apollo Food System team.

[4] She worked with Whirlpool Corporation and dietitians to identify ways space food could be packaged and prepared.

[6] Astronauts requested pumpkin pie and trail mix, but their favorite food was cream of chicken soup.

[9] She prepared the individual meals of each Apollo astronaut separately and they each used color-coded eating utensils.

[12][13] She was the first woman from the Manned Spacecraft Center to be selected for the award; which was the highest honor of the federal government.

[2] Her biography appeared in Libby Jackson's A Galaxy of Her Own: Amazing Stories of Women in Space.

[21] A plaque that recognizes Rapp's commitment to the safety, health and comfort of the NASA flight crew, hangs at Johnson Space Center.