Tiangong space station
The Tiangong space station is a space station in Low Earth orbit.[1] The space station belongs to China's space program. As of 2024, the space station has astronauts.
 A drawing of the Chinese Space Station | |
| Station statistics | |
|---|---|
| COSPAR ID | |
Distance from Earth: "Tiangong orbits Earth at an altitude of around" ... "340 to 450 kilometers", according to media (2023).[2]
It is the third station by China, after Tiangong-1 and Tiangong-2.
Tiangong means sky palace.
Structure
The main parts of the station are shown in the diagram below.
Use
China plans to do a number of experiments on the station.[4] Other nations will also use the space station. These include Italy which has made a long-term agreement with China to work together on spaceflight.[5][6] The University of Oslo in Norway is going to use the station for cancer research.[7]
Missions
There are astronauts at the space station (as of 2025's fourth quarter). The Shenzhou 21 mission, has 3 astronauts(or taikonauts) at the space station; However, the astronauts do not yet have a rocket that is safe for travel back to Earth (November 2025).[8][9]
- Key
Spacecraft that carry cargo are in light blue color Spacecraft that carry people are in light green color Parts of the space station are in beige color
Past
There have been spaceflights to and from the space station.
| Launch date | Spacecraft | Launch vehicle | Launch pad | Launched by | Where it docked at the station |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 April 2021[10] | Tianhe | Long March 5B | Wenchang LC-1[11] | CASC | N/A |
Other information
It will be made up of several modules (parts) that need to be put together in space. The first module is called Tianhe.[12] It was launched on 28 April 2021.[10][7]
Tiangong Space Station Media
Basic space experiment cabinet of Tiangong space station
Rear view of Tiangong Space Station, taken by a Tianzhou cargo spacecraft ahead of docking.
A mockup of Tiangong displayed in Hong Kong in 2022
Rendering of Tianhe core module with the robotic arm at docking position.
Tianhe core stage center at the clean room of the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site.
Wentian lab module rendering
Wentian lab module
Mengtian lab module rendering
Mengtian Lab Module ground test
Deployment of flexible solar arrays on Tianhe core module
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References
- ↑ Clark, Steephen. "China to begin construction of space station this year". spaceflightnow.com. https://spaceflightnow.com/2021/01/10/china-to-begin-construction-of-space-station-this-year/. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
- ↑ https://www.space.com/how-to-see-track-chinese-space-station-tiangong#:~:text=Tiangong%20orbits%20Earth%20at%20an,(27%2C600%20km%2Fh). Retrieved 2024-06-04
- ↑ Barbosa, Rui. China preparing to build Tiangong station in 2021, complete by 2022. NASASpaceflight (1 March 2021). Retrieved 2 March 2021.
- ↑ China Manned Space Programme: Its Achievements and Future Developments (PDF by China Manned Space Agency). United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (2016). Retrieved 26 April 2021.
- ↑ China and Italy to cooperate on long-term human spaceflight (2017-02-22). Retrieved 2018-02-16.
- ↑ Agreement Italy-China (2017-02-22). Retrieved 2018-02-16.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Xin, Ling. "China Is Set to Launch First Module of Massive Space Station" (in en). Scientific American. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/china-is-set-to-launch-first-module-of-massive-space-station1/. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
- ↑ https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/watch-chinas-shenzhou-22-rescue-ship-arrive-at-tiangong-space-station-video. Retrieved 2025-11-30
- ↑ https://www.nbcnews.com/world/asia/chinas-shenzhou-20-return-mission-delayed-due-space-debris-impact-rcna242050
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Graham, William; Gebhardt, Chris (28 April 2021). "China launches Tianhe module, start of ambitious two-year station construction effort". NASASpaceFlight.com. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2021/04/china-station-construction-begins/. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
- ↑ Hunt, Katie (29 April 2021). "ISS gets a rival with China's planned space station". CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/29/world/iss-future-china-space-station-russia-us-intl-scn/index.html. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
- ↑ Tianhe, the Core of the Chinese Space Station (in en). The Planetary Society. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
Other websites
- Chinese Space Agency website
- How to (say or) pronounce Tiangong 天宫. How To Say (at YouTube.com)