For decades, astronauts traveling to space were forced to subsist on a diet that largely consisted of freeze-dried and packaged food. This changed with the introduction of plant-growing operations in orbit, like the Vegetable Production System (Veggie) aboard the International Space Station (ISS). But in what is a really big first, the China National Space Agency (CNSA) has installed a new in-orbit barbecue system aboard the Tiangong space station. In a recent video (shown below) released by the China Central Television (CCTV), we see the current crew of the Tiangong giving the BBQ a whirl!
The video shows the crew of Shenzhou-20 welcoming the crew of Shenzhou-21, who will take control of the station once the former crew members have left. The festivities begin with taikonauts Wu Fei and Zhang Hongzhang placing a tray of six pre-seasoned chicken wings (one for each crew member) into the new barbecue chamber. The cooked wings, which look glazed and beautiful, are then eagerly eaten along with the other crew members - Wang Jie, Chen Dong, and Chen Zhongrui. This is then followed by their second course, which consists of a bunch of steak strips (again, pre-seasoned) that look similarly appetizing when cooked.
Unfortunately, the Shenzhou-20 crew's departure plans have been delayed while engineers investigate a potential problem with their spacecraft. According to a recent statement by the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA), the crew will remain in place until the investigation is complete. The announcement was also made on Tuesday, Nov. 4th, the same day of the video's release, in a brief statement that was posted on Weibo (China's social media platform). The statement said the following:
The Shenzhou 20 manned spacecraft is suspected of being impacted by small space debris. Impact analysis and risk assessment are underway. To ensure the safety and health of the astronauts and the complete success of the mission, it has been decided that the Shenzhou-20 return mission, originally scheduled for November 5, will be postponed.
This is not the first time the Tiangong space station has been impacted by space debris, and the ISS has extensive experience dealing with this hazard. There is no telling when the inspections and possible repairs will take, but they will likely rest comfortably in the knowledge that they achieved a culinary first. As the ISS nears retirement and future space stations succeed it, this experiment could be a preview of what future astronauts can expect. Henceforth, space stations could periodically be filled with the aroma of cooked meat! Perhaps they'll have some vegetarian or vegan options as well.