Watch: China's astronauts grill chicken, steak in space — why it matters

In a first for China’s manned space programme, astronauts on the Shenzhou-20 and Shenzhou-21 missions have used a specially developed oven to barbecue chicken wings and cook steak aboard the China Space Station.

The new “space oven,” installed recently, allows smokeless cooking and is part of broader efforts to improve living conditions for astronauts on long-duration missions.

Footage released by the Astronaut Center of China (ACC) showed crew members enjoying freshly grilled food after 28 minutes of cooking. The oven, which operates through advanced temperature control and high-temperature catalysis, can function continuously for up to 500 cycles.

Shenzhou-20 and Shenzhou-21 crews are grilling chicken wings in Tiangong space station. Full HD:https://t.co/QJAg0XNmkq pic.twitter.com/jPeQ0tSRcf

— CNSA Watcher (@CNSAWatcher) November 4, 2025

It represents a leap from earlier international experiments such as the 2020 baking test aboard the International Space Station ( ISS ), where astronauts took up to two hours to bake cookies, according to a BBC news, reported Chinese media Global Times.

The oven also marks the rapid evolution of China’s in-orbit living standards, from simple pre-packaged meals during the Shenzhou-5 era to a diverse menu of over 190 items today. After long hours of scientific work, sharing a hot meal gives astronauts a sense of normalcy and connection to Earth.