China's Tiangong Space Station Set to Expand as ISS Era Wanes
China is moving forward with significant expansion plans for its Tiangong space station. According to reports, the country intends to add three new modules to the current orbital outpost, along with a co-orbiting space telescope. This expansion comes as the International Space Station (ISS) approaches the end of its operational life, with plans for a controlled deorbit into the Pacific Ocean.
The Tiangong station, which currently consists of the Tianhe core module and two laboratory modules, would see its size roughly doubled with the addition of new components. Once complete, the expanded station could provide a persistent Chinese presence in low Earth orbit for decades to come.
Meanwhile, the ISS, which has been continuously occupied since November 2000, is facing retirement. NASA and its international partners are planning for the station's decommissioning, which would mark the end of an era for cooperative space exploration among major spacefaring nations.