Chinese Astronauts Host First Space Barbecue During Crew Handover
BEIJING — November 6, 2025 — In a historic first, Chinese astronauts aboard the nation’s Tiangong Space Station celebrated their crew handover with a freshly cooked barbecue, marking a milestone in human spaceflight comfort and innovation.
The six astronauts shared roasted chicken wings and black pepper steak, prepared using a new smoke-free oven introduced during the incoming Shenzhou-21 mission. The event symbolised progress in improving daily life and morale for long-term space missions.
A Milestone In Space Living
According to Xinhua News Agency, the meal was served shortly before the formal transfer of command between the outgoing Shenzhou-20 crew and the incoming team. The ceremony followed a period of extended safety checks prompted by a suspected small debris strike on the spacecraft.
Despite the delay, the crew celebrated enthusiastically, using the new oven to prepare food in orbit for the first time. Flight engineer Wu Fei, aged 32 and China’s youngest astronaut in space, removed the roasted wings from the oven, exclaiming that they “smelled, looked, and tasted amazing.”
Introducing The Space Oven Innovation
The new hot-air oven represents a major breakthrough in space food technology. Designed to operate without emitting smoke or odour, it allows astronauts to enjoy freshly prepared meals while complying with the space station’s strict air-purity standards.
“Our motivation comes from the Chinese love of freshly cooked food,” said Liu Weibo, a researcher at the China Astronaut Research and Training Centre. “After months in an enclosed environment, the aroma of chicken wings or baked bread can lift the crew’s spirits.”
The oven’s rangehood purifies carbon oxides produced during cooking, ensuring that fumes never escape into the station’s cabin. It can operate safely for up to 500 cycles, enabling extended use on future missions.
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Expanding Space Cuisine
The Shenzhou-21 astronauts now have access to 190 food varieties, including vegetables, nuts, meats, and cakes. The expanded menu adds to the produce grown in orbit — such as lettuce, cherry tomatoes, and sweet potatoes — cultivated with new hydroponic techniques that recycle nutrients in microgravity.
Chinese researchers continue refining these systems to enhance the nutrition, texture, and appearance of space meals. “Cooking is not only about food; it’s about comfort and emotional well-being,” Liu added.
A Growing Focus On Crew Well-Being
Space food has evolved dramatically from pastes in squeeze tubes to reheatable, flavourful meals. Astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) receive fresh fruits and vegetables through regular resupply missions. In comparison, China’s self-sustaining cooking technology marks a new step toward long-duration mission independence.
The milestone meal also highlights China’s growing expertise in habitability engineering, a crucial factor as the nation expands its deep-space exploration plans and prepares for future lunar missions.
Setting A Global Example
Observers note that China’s culinary innovation in orbit represents both scientific achievement and cultural pride. The ability to share a freshly cooked meal in space demonstrates the country’s commitment to improving astronaut quality of life while pushing the boundaries of human exploration.
“Food connects people — even 400 kilometres above Earth,” said a commentator from People’s Daily. “It shows that humanity’s journey beyond the planet can still carry warmth, flavour, and a sense of home.
