The Tianzhou-9 spacecraft successfully delivered traditional Chinese food to the astronauts of the Tiangong space station
Kyiv • UNN
The Chinese cargo spacecraft Tianzhou-9 successfully docked with the orbital space station Tiangong, delivering over 190 varieties of food and 23 batches of materials for scientific experiments. Among the food items, there are over 1.5 tons of food, including traditional Chinese dishes such as Mapo Tofu and stir-fried tomatoes with egg.
According to the China Manned Space Agency, the Chinese cargo spacecraft Tianzhou-9 successfully docked with the aft port of the Tianhe core module of the Tiangong orbital space station. The mission delivered a wide range of materials, including over 190 varieties of food and 23 batches of materials for scientific experiments, writes UNN with reference to Global Times.
Details
According to China Central Television (CCTV), citing Liu Wei from the China Astronaut Center, the Tianzhou-9 cargo ship delivered over 1.5 tons of food for the crew aboard the Tiangong space station. The food list includes over 190 types, among which more than 90 types are side dishes — 20 more than in previous missions.
Among the new dishes on the menu are favorite Chinese home-cooked meals such as mapo tofu, stir-fried tomatoes with egg, braised water chestnuts, assorted vegetables, stir-fried lotus root, and cumin potatoes.
These dishes may seem ordinary on a typical family dinner table, but their inclusion in the astronaut's space menu requires extensive technological research. For example, mapo tofu is very delicate and usually easily falls apart when stir-fried. But thanks to technological upgrades and improved cooking methods, we managed to bring this dish to the astronauts' dinner tables in space.
This innovation aims to improve the astronauts' dietary experience and allow them to enjoy more delicious food in orbit.
We have moved beyond toothpaste-like food formats to offer staples, side dishes, ready-to-eat meals, condiments, and even fresh fruits and vegetables – what we call the breakthrough of "three staples and four categories"
Many people often ask if space food consists of things they have never seen or eaten before. But in reality, we aim to ensure that astronauts can enjoy the tastes of ordinary life – even in space
In addition to provisions, the Tianzhou-9 spacecraft also carried a significant batch of materials for scientific experiments. CCTV reported that 23 payloads totaling almost 780 kilograms were delivered for various research purposes, including a study aimed at finding new ways to counteract muscle atrophy in space.
Addition
The commercial Axiom 4 mission successfully launched to the ISS, delivering astronauts from India, Poland, and Hungary. This is the first time representatives from these countries have been sent into space in decades, highlighting their financial participation in the project.