During their time on the space station, Chinese astronauts continue to enjoy traditional dishes from their homeland.
Shenzhou 12 successfully launched three Chinese astronauts into orbit. The astronauts, Commander Nie Haisheng, 56, Liu Boming, 54, and Tang Hongbo, 45, will be working on the Tiangong space station in the coming months.
Videos sent back to Earth showcase the daily lives of the Chinese astronauts aboard the space station. In addition to their work and research missions, their meals and rest have garnered significant attention.
About 6.8 tons of supplies were sent to the space station by Shenzhou 12.
It is reported that the Chinese astronauts will choose meals from around 120 different dishes during their three-month stay on the Tiangong space station.
Previously, approximately 6.8 tons of supplies sent by Shenzhou 12 included a variety of food and beverages, including teas, fruit juices, and porridge. The spacecraft also transported cooling equipment to store fresh fruits and vegetables.
For many years, China has been researching and developing space food for astronauts. This includes over 100 dishes for astronauts to use during long-term missions.
The food is typically in solid form, without rigidity, and is cut into small pieces. Many dishes are even prepared to cater to the personal tastes of the astronauts. Some of the Chinese astronauts’ meals include shredded pork in garlic sauce, meatballs, Kung Pao chicken, black pepper beef, pickled cabbage, and minced pork, along with various desserts such as apples and ice cream.
Food is typically in solid form, without rigidity, and cut into small pieces.
Huang Weifen, head of the Chinese astronaut training team, stated: “We have equipped the space station with a microwave so that astronauts can heat their food. They can enjoy hot meals whenever they need.”
The Chinese astronauts also use various seasonings such as pork sauce and Sichuan pepper sauce to help adjust for the temporary loss of taste that can occur in a microgravity environment.
Astronaut food is not only nutritionally balanced but also designed for convenience in the extraterrestrial environment. For this reason, apples were chosen over oranges for astronauts to consume in space. Dozens of apples were included in the astronauts’ supplies, as they are not only delicious and nutritious but also have a long shelf life.
