Overview
- Video released by Chinese authorities shows Shenzhou‑20 and Shenzhou‑21 astronauts baking chicken wings and cooking steak during the crew handover on Tiangong.
- The purpose‑built oven was integrated with high‑temperature catalysis, multi‑layer filtration, residue capture, a rotating basket, and built‑in purification to meet air‑quality and safety requirements.
- Designers raised the maximum temperature to about 190°C so crews can roast and bake rather than only reheat prepackaged meals, with food held securely to prevent floating.
- According to the Astronaut Center of China, the oven is qualified for smokeless, oil‑free operation and is rated for roughly 500 cooking cycles.
- Each batch took about 28 minutes, a faster turnaround than an earlier ISS cookie‑baking experiment, as the station also expands its menu to over 190 items and reports about 4.5 kg of produce from onboard plant trials.