China’s Space Station Gets Kitchen Upgrade For Long-term Stays

TIANJIN, Sept 20 (Bernama-Xinhua) -- China’s orbiting space station has upgraded its kitchen with advanced appliances and more food choices to keep astronauts well-fed during long stays in orbit, reported Xinhua.

The China Astronaut Research and Training Centre, working with several private companies, has upgraded the "space kitchen" with a suite of intelligent appliances for drinking water, food reheating and baking, enabling astronauts in orbit to eat hot meals within 20 minutes.

At the first aerospace medicine engineering conference in Tianjin, north China, on Saturday, Liu Weibo, an expert from the centre, gave examples including a space water dispenser that ensures reclaimed water is safe to drink and a space microwave heating device that allows rapid reheating at low power without microwave leakage.

Liu also noted that the hot-air baking oven, the world’s first designed for use in space, enables efficient, low-energy removal of cooking fumes and has allowed astronauts in orbit to enjoy baked chicken wings, steak and cake.

The menu on the Chinese space station has also expanded.

Astronaut food now includes nearly 200 varieties, while the flight menu cycle has been extended to 10 days.

Fresh vegetables, nuts, cakes and meat can be baked and processed in orbit, while yoghurt can be fermented in space.

“We are continuing to raise the level of life support for astronauts in orbit,” Liu said.

“The variety, quality, flavour, appearance and nutritional value of space food are getting better.”

China’s space station, Tiangong, which means “Heavenly Palace”, has now entered an era of long-term human habitation.

One member of the Shenzhou-23 crew will conduct a one-year stay in orbit, while the country’s 2030 crewed lunar landing mission is advancing steadily.

-- BERNAMA-XINHUA