What is the taste of “Space Barbecue”? An astronaut of the Shenzhou-20 shared the story behind the “Space Barbecue”.
Wang Jie, astronaut of the Shenzhou-20 mission, shared their work and daily life in space recently. He mentioned the “Space Barbecue”, which is popular online.
“We grilled steak and chicken wings then. The air was filled with aroma, and the meat was tender and juicy. Every bite was pure bliss. They truly deserve the title of the ‘Universal Feast’,” said Wang.
On Nov. 14th, 2025, the crew of Shenzhou-20 astronauts returned to Earth aboard the Shenzhou-21 spacecraft. They stayed in orbit for 204 days, marking the first successful implementation of an alternative return procedure in the country’s space station program history.
The alternative plan was adopted after the original return vessel, the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft, experienced a suspected impact from space debris. The China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) confirmed the return mission was a complete success.
During the time in space, the Shenzhou-20 and Shenzhou-21 crews jointly attempted grilling chicken wings and steak for the first time. Wang said the specially designed oven has heating and baking functions. And its range hood function perfectly solves the problem of oil fume adsorption and odour control in space cooking. The oven is easy to operate, allowing them to enjoy delicious baked food in space.
“The six of us sat together and ate the meal, sharing a moment of pure joy that was simply incomparable.” This’s a heartwarming highlight of their orbital life, Wang said.
Wang Tells His Own Story
Before becoming an astronaut, Wang used to work on space station construction on the ground. At that time, his understanding of the space station was mostly based on theories and ground tests.”But when I personally operated and maintained the equipment in space, the station became my ‘home’ for both work and life,” Wang noted.
Wang said the “hands-on” experience gave him a more intuitive and profound understanding of the station’s design philosophy and engineering details.
From an aerospace engineer working on the ground to a spaceflight engineer operating in orbit, this career transition made Wang deeply appreciate the value of “applying what you learn”.
He offered this message to young people: “the journey to space is never a romantic fairy tale, but an expedition that requires dedication and perseverance. Every formula you learn and every piece of knowledge you master today could become the ladder for your future exploration of the stars and the sea. The door to China’s Space Station will always be open to people with dreams.”
Written by Sha Liu, additional reporting by Ecns.cn and Xinhua.
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