Chicken and Steak Successfully Cooked on Chinese Spacecraft... Plenty of Vegetables and Fruits as Well

Cooking with the Oven Installed on Shenzhou 21
"Wide Variety of Foods Including Nuts, Meat, and Cakes"

On October 31, China successfully launched its crewed spacecraft, Shenzhou 21, and multiple Chinese media outlets reported that a chicken dish was prepared aboard the space station.

According to Xinhua News Agency and Guangming Online on November 4, "Astronauts enjoyed chicken and steak by operating the oven installed on Shenzhou 21."

Astronauts enjoying chicken. CCTV Weibo.

According to reports, astronauts on the Shenzhou 21 mission were able to enjoy more than 190 types of food. The meal cycle has been extended to 10 days, and the variety of available foods includes fresh vegetables, nuts, meat, and cakes. Xinhua News Agency stated, "As China’s space station program has been implemented and improved, the variety, taste, and nutrition of food have also advanced."

This progress is also credited to the space vegetable garden. The China Astronaut Research and Training Center has continuously conducted research and verification processes on plant cultivation. By utilizing various technologies such as plant regeneration and fertilizers, they have studied how to effectively supply water and nutrients even in a zero-gravity environment. Xinhua News Agency explained, "So far, astronauts have successfully grown seven types of plants, including lettuce, cherry tomatoes, and sweet potatoes, allowing them to eat 4.5 kilograms of fresh fruits and vegetables."

Appearance of grilled chicken. CCTV Weibo.

Astronauts. CCTV Weibo.

The center also added, "The research and training center plans to prepare a variety of foods for astronauts to enjoy during holidays. In addition, gift packages that can be opened on the holiday itself will also be provided."

Meanwhile, after replacing the previous Shenzhou 20 crew, the Shenzhou 21 astronauts will carry out their mission for about six months. They are expected to conduct extravehicular activities, cargo loading and unloading operations, installation of space debris protection devices, and retrieval of external equipment. For the first time, space science experiments targeting rodent mammals will also be conducted. To this end, two female and two male mice have been sent into orbit. A total of 27 scientific and applied projects will be carried out, including research on the effects of zero gravity and enclosed environments on behavioral patterns.