tang

Tang is a brand of orange-flavored drink mix introduced by General Foods in 1957. It is a powdered beverage that dissolves in water to produce a sweet, tangy drink. The formula was developed by chemist William A. Mitchell using spray-drying methods, which provided Tang with long shelf life and easy reconstitution.

Tang grew in popularity in the United States during the 1960s and 1970s as a convenient, tropical-flavored beverage. Over the years, it expanded to other flavors such as grape and tropical fruit blends, and packaging shifted from canisters to sachets in many markets. The brand has been owned by General Foods and its successors through Kraft-related reorganizations, with regional variations in product lines and distribution.

Tang became culturally associated with the U.S. space program in the 1960s, when it was marketed in connection with NASA missions. Astronauts reportedly consumed Tang on some flights, and the drink became a public symbol of space exploration, even as other beverages were used during missions.

Today Tang remains a powdered beverage mix that is typically fortified with vitamin C. It is mixed with water to create an orange-flavored drink and is sold in various formats worldwide, with regional flavor variants and packaging to suit different markets.