A New Era of Dining in Zero Gravity

GLOBAL – In a significant advancement for long-term human spaceflight, six Chinese astronauts aboard the Tiangong space station have successfully grilled and consumed chicken wings and black pepper beef steak, marking the first time a meal has been cooked in orbit using a specialized oven. The event, involving the crews of the Shenzhou-20 and newly arrived Shenzhou-21 missions, was detailed in a video released by the Astronaut Center of China (ACC) on Monday, 3rd November 2025, EAT.

The footage showed Shenzhou-21 flight engineer Major Wu Fei preparing marinated chicken wings and placing them into a purpose-built hot-air oven. After a 28-minute cooking cycle at 180°C, the sizzling meal was shared among the six crew members orbiting approximately 400 kilometers above Earth. "They smell as good as they look," Major Wu remarked in the broadcast. Shenzhou-20 mission commander Senior Colonel Chen Dong added that his "mouth had been watering" while waiting.

The Technology Behind the 'Space BBQ'

This culinary achievement was made possible by a new high-tech oven delivered by the Shenzhou-21 spacecraft, which docked with the station on Saturday, 1st November 2025. According to Liu Weibo, an engineer at the ACC, the device is a significant leap beyond previous in-space food warmers. It employs high-temperature catalysis and a multi-layer filtration system to achieve smokeless baking, a critical safety requirement in the closed environment of a space station. The oven can reach temperatures of 190°C, allowing for genuine cooking and caramelization, a stark contrast to the simple reheating of pre-packaged meals that has been the norm. This innovation is more efficient than previous experiments, such as the 2020 test on the International Space Station (ISS) which required up to two hours to bake cookies.

The engineering also addresses the challenges of microgravity. A special skewer rack and residue collector prevent food from floating away during the cooking process, ensuring safety and cleanliness. The system is rated for 500 continuous cycles, indicating its intended role as a staple of the station's kitchen.

Implications for Future Space Exploration and Local Relevance

The ability to cook fresh food is considered a crucial factor for the psychological well-being of astronauts on long-duration missions, such as future voyages to the Moon or Mars. Experts in nutritional psychology note that the monotony of pre-packaged meals can lead to "menu fatigue," affecting morale and performance. Providing astronauts with varied, palatable, and freshly cooked food can offer a vital connection to Earth and improve their cognitive endurance. China's expanding in-orbit menu, which now includes over 190 items, reflects a deep understanding of these human factors in space exploration.

While this development occurred far from Kenyan soil, its context is increasingly relevant to the region. China has significantly expanded its space cooperation with African nations, positioning itself as a key partner in the continent's burgeoning space sector. Beijing has signed numerous space agreements and invested in satellites, ground stations, and training for countries including Egypt, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and South Africa. These partnerships focus on leveraging space technology for socio-economic development, including climate monitoring, disaster management, and agriculture—all critical areas for Kenya and East Africa.

The Kenya Space Agency (KSA), established in 2017, is actively seeking international partnerships to build its own capabilities. While current collaborations are strong with Italy, India, and regional partners like Egypt and Rwanda, China's role as a major provider of space technology and launch services on the continent presents potential future opportunities. As African nations increasingly look to space for solutions to earthly problems, technological leaps like those demonstrated on Tiangong showcase the advanced capabilities of a major global partner. This progress underscores the strategic importance for Kenya to continue developing its space policy and fostering collaborations that can harness these advancements for national development.