What until recently sounded like a science fiction scenario is now a real scene: a "barbecue" in orbitA group of Chinese astronauts, aboard the Tiangong station, prepared chicken wings and beef with equipment specially designed for microgravity, in a gesture that was both everyday and historic.
The banquet coincided with the meeting between the Shenzhou-20 and Shenzhou-21 missions and it was recorded on video by state media. The key wasn't the fire, but a hot air oven that reaches up to 190 ° C and cook safely without smoke; the wings, for example, needed 28 minutes to become golden brown.
What happened aboard Tiangong
During the crew changeover, Tiangong was the scene of an unusual meal in space: Wings and steaks on boardThe images show how food is secured on a tray with a rack and inserted into a compartment recessed into the wall of the unit, which looks more like a front-loading washing machine than a domestic oven, which prevents the pieces from floating through the cabin.
The atmosphere was relaxed, with jokes and comments about the aroma, as the crew shared their rations in weightlessness. According to public television coverage, the device is part of the trials of comfort China prioritizes this for extended stays in orbit, reinforcing routines that bring life on the station closer to everyday life on Earth.
How the space oven works
The equipment sent with Shenzhou-21 is a convection Flameless, designed to operate in microgravity. Confined and sealed, it distributes heat evenly and incorporates multi-layer filters to retain smoke and smells and keeps external surfaces cool to prevent accidental burns.
To prevent anything from moving, the food is secured in trays and racksThe system prioritizes electrical safety, is optimized to avoid overloading the station's network, and supports a large number of usage cycles (up to 100,000). 500 cooked), which makes it a practical tool for medium and long-duration missions.
- Target temperature: up to 190 °C.
- Approximate time: Crispy wings in 28 minutes.
- Containment: sealed chamber, flameless, with filtration.
- Stability: tray fixing and waste control.
In microgravity, air does not circulate as it does on Earth and natural convection disappears, so controlling heat flow and particle movement It's crucial. That's why, in addition to cooking, the team manages internal ventilation to maintain a clean and stable environment inside the module.
Why it's important for life in orbit
Beyond mere curiosity, cooking "for real" is a significant step in the food autonomyAllowing crews to prepare simple dishes to their liking helps improve nutrition and, above all, the psychological well-being during long and isolated stays, something key for future missions to the Moon or Mars.
Program specialists emphasize that incorporating everyday activities—like sitting down to eat something freshly prepared—strengthens our connection to life on Earth. This emotional relief, along with the evidence that cooking can be done without flames or smoke, drives the safe living of the next generation stations and ships.
Eating and cooking in space: background
From the beginning of the space age, food was a challenge. Gagarin He tried meat paste in tubes; decades later, the most widespread solution has been freeze-dried foods, which weigh little and keep well, but can generate floating dust capable of infiltrating sensitive equipment if not handled carefully.
To alleviate this, paste or sealed-container options became widespread, and tricks like the fajita-style tortillas for wrapping fillings without crumbs. Europe made its mark on education with videos of ESA astronauts preparing these foods. There were also small experimental ovens—like the one used for the first cookies in orbit—although in that case they weren't tasted because health prudence.
What is known about the day in Tiangong
According to coverage broadcast by Chinese state television (CCTV) and sources from the manned program, the "barbecue" was organized on the occasion of crew meetingSeveral wings and pieces of beef, previously seasoned, were cooked, resulting in a golden color and crispy texture despite the weightless environment.
The oven, integrated as part of the module, not only cooks: it also monitors internal temperature and pressureIt filters any emissions and contains residues, becoming a testing ground for safe cooking technologies applicable to extended missionsFurthermore, the test adds to other demonstrations of fire and heat in microgravity carried out at this station.
Interest for Spain and Europe
In the European context, the capacity to cooking without flame Microgravity is being closely monitored due to its impact on habitat design and safety protocols. The experience accumulated by ESA in orbital feeding —including menu, preservation and ergonomics projects— fits with the global trend of bringing more natural habits into space, without compromising onboard systems.
For European teams, every advance that shortens the gap between Earth-based routine and life in an orbital module is a useful benchmark. Alongside the scientific objectives, maintaining mental health and cohesion It is a priority, and practices such as cooking — even with restrictions — offer a tangible plus on missions lasting several months.
The scene from Tiangong makes a clear point: with engineering, control, and prudence, the everyday can also exist in orbit. Cooking chicken wings and beef in a smokeless oven not only demonstrates technological maturity; it also points the way to stations and spacecraft where eat wellIn a safe and more humane way, be part of the flight plan.