Imagine savoring the aroma of freshly cooked barbecue, but instead of being in your backyard, you're floating in space. Sounds like science fiction, right? Well, it's now a reality. Six Chinese astronauts aboard the Tiangong space station have made history by becoming the first humans to cook and enjoy a barbecue in microgravity. In a groundbreaking video released by the Astronaut Center of China (ACC), the crew of the Shenzhou 20 and Shenzhou 21 missions used a newly delivered oven to prepare a meal, as reported by Space.com. But here's where it gets even more fascinating: this isn't just about cooking—it's about overcoming the unique challenges of preparing food in a weightless environment.
The star of the show? Perfectly roasted chicken wings, cooked in just 28 minutes. In space, where convection (the natural circulation of air that helps cook food evenly on Earth) doesn’t occur, this feat required innovative engineering. The oven, designed to operate without straining Tiangong's power grid, provides consistent, smokeless baking—a game-changer for long-term space missions. As Wang Yanan, chief editor of Aerospace Knowledge magazine, explained to China Daily, engineers had to devise a unique system to heat food and manage cooking fumes while ensuring the crew's safety.
And this is the part most people miss: the oven's maximum temperature was upgraded from 100°C to 190°C, allowing astronauts to roast and bake instead of just reheating prepackaged meals. This small but significant advancement opens up a world of culinary possibilities for space travelers.
But let’s not forget the pioneers who came before. In 2020, the International Space Station (ISS) tested a prototype oven built by NanoRacks and Zero G Kitchen, baking five chocolate chip cookies in orbit—the first-ever food baked in space. Three of these cookies even made it back to Earth aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. While the ISS experiment was a milestone, China’s achievement takes it a step further by introducing a fully functional oven for regular use.
Now, here’s a thought-provoking question: As space exploration advances, how important is it for astronauts to enjoy 'normal' activities like cooking? Does it impact their mental health and mission success? Some argue it’s a luxury, while others see it as essential for long-term space living. What do you think?
Meanwhile, the Shenzhou 21 crew, who launched to Tiangong on October 31, will spend roughly six months aboard the station, taking over from the Shenzhou 20 astronauts, who return to Earth on November 5. As we marvel at these achievements, one thing is clear: the future of space exploration is not just about survival—it’s about thriving, one meal at a time.
