China plans Tiangong expansion as ISS retirement nears
The Tiangong and the ISS are currently the only space stations operating in low Earth orbit. CCTV said China’s T-shaped Tiangong will first receive a fourth module, described as a multifunctional extension to the Tianhe core, which would make the station cross-shaped. The module will include multiple docking ports, including ports for two future laboratory units, and could lead to a six-module station of about 180 tonnes. No timeline has been released. The update comes as Nasa plans to retire the ISS in early 2031 with a SpaceX-built deorbit vehicle for controlled re-entry over the South Pacific.
Tiangong could grow into a six-module station.
Context
The ISS has run more than 3,000 experiments and is set to retire in early 2031. Tiangong…
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