Overview
- The Shenzhou‑20 and Shenzhou‑21 crews used the oven to bake marinated chicken wings and cook steak in about 28 minutes, sharing the meal among six astronauts during the handover.
- Delivered with Shenzhou‑21, the appliance employs residue collection, high‑temperature catalysis and multi‑layer filtration to protect air quality, with touch‑cool surfaces and preset programs for various foods.
- Mission officials say the unit is rated for roughly 500 cooking cycles, supporting an expanded menu of around 190 items on a 10‑day rotation.
- Footage released by Chinese space authorities showing the in‑orbit cooking demonstration spread widely on social and international platforms.
- The China Manned Space Agency postponed the Shenzhou‑20 return after reporting a suspected small debris strike on the spacecraft, with safety checks underway.