To ensure astronauts have the best diet, the Shenzhou 9 spacecraft mission team is providing 70 kinds of Chinese food. So what’s on the menu?

The three Chinese astronauts in the space module Tiangong 1 are eating tasty and nutritious Chinese food. Astronauts used to only have biscuits or other compressed food during their time in orbit. But this mission’s astronauts have brought with them traditional Chinese food, catering to their different tastes.

Chen Bin, Engineer, China institute of space medico-engineering: "The staple and non-staple foods fully reflect the characteristics of Chinese foods. One meal usually consists of rice with two fried dishes and soup. Fruits and other instant food are also provided as supplements. We provide them with the same food as they would have on the Earth. That’s our main goal."

The astronauts checked food in their packages before boarding.

Jing Haipeng, Chinese astronaut: "Nutritionists asked us about our preferences. I am from north China’s Shanxi Province where people like to eat sour-flavored food. And I like hot food as well. So sour, sweet, hot or even preserved bean curd, all are OK for me."

To ensure a varied diet, mission controllers have picked a range of dishes to keep the astronauts well-fed in space.