Chinese astronauts use upgraded oven to barbecue chicken wings and steaks aboard space station

by Riko Seibo
Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Nov 05, 2025

Aboard China's space station, astronauts have begun using a new hot air oven delivered by Shenzhou XXI to prepare freshly baked dishes, including chicken wings and steaks, as shown in a recent video from orbit.

Shenzhou XXI crew member and space engineer Wu Fei was featured preparing marinated chicken wings, placing them on a skewered rack, and baking them for roughly 28 minutes in the upgraded oven until fully cooked. The astronauts also cooked black pepper steaks, highlighting participation from Wang Jie of Shenzhou XX and Wu Fei, both of whom are from North China's Inner Mongolia, recognized for its beef and mutton.

These meals were promptly shared among all six astronauts currently aboard the station. The Shenzhou XXI spaceship was launched late Friday, and the new crew joined alongside Shenzhou XX crew, who are scheduled to return to Earth on Nov 5.

The oven, designed by the China Astronaut Research and Training Center, incorporates advanced precise temperature controls, residue capture, high-temperature catalysis, and multi-layer filtration to ensure smoke-free baking compatible with the space station's air quality requirements. It is engineered to function for up to 500 cycles and can bake various foods in orbit.

The Shenzhou XXI mission expands available food items to over 190, enabling astronauts to prepare ingredients such as vegetables, cakes, nuts, and meats in space. The kitchen upgrade also supports a 10-day meal rotation.

In addition to new cooking options, the station's in-orbit vegetable garden continues to advance. Researchers have successfully used regenerative substrates, controlled-release fertilizer, and micro-porous water delivery technology to grow crops under microgravity. Ten batches of seven plant species have been cultivated to date, yielding 4.5 kg of fresh produce, with lettuce and cherry tomatoes grown from seed to seed.

The Shenzhou XX crew, including Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui, and Wang Jie, has completed all planned tasks and finalized their handover to the Shenzhou XXI crew. They are scheduled to return to Earth today, landing at the Dongfeng site in north China's Inner Mongolia. Preparations at the landing site and supporting recovery systems are underway.

Zang Peng from the center stated, "We prepared feasts for the astronauts for traditional Chinese festivals such as Spring Festival, and there are even gift packages that can only be opened on the day of the festival."

China's manned space program continues to innovate with menu expansion and life support technologies, helping astronauts maintain dietary variety and nutrition during extended stays.