Full Breakdown
China to Double Tiangong Space Station Size as ISS Nears End of Service
6/28/2026, 8:53:30 AM
Tiangong Expansion Plan
China’s Tiangong space station, a three-module T-shaped outpost assembled in 2021-2022 and supporting Shenzhou crews of three astronauts, will be enlarged to six modules. The expansion will create a “double-T” configuration by adding a 20-ton multifunctional module and two experiment modules. A co-orbiting Xuntian space telescope, equipped with a 2-meter primary mirror, will also dock with the station for maintenance and upgrades.
Timeline and Upcoming Launches
The first phase of the expansion, the 20-ton multifunctional module, is slated for launch in the near term, though a precise date has not been released. Xuntian is scheduled for launch in 2027 and is designed for a ten-year mission. China’s new Mengzhou crew vehicle, capable of carrying seven astronauts, may debut later this year. In parallel, NASA plans to use the SpaceX-developed U.S. Deorbit Vehicle to guide the International Space Station into a controlled Pacific Ocean re-entry in late 2030 or early 2031.
Technical Details and Capabilities
The added multifunctional module will contribute roughly 20 tonnes and provide extra docking ports, allowing simultaneous accommodation of multiple spacecraft. Xuntian’s 2-meter mirror offers a field of view about 300 times larger than the Hubble telescope, supporting a 2.5-billion-pixel camera that can map roughly 40 % of the sky over its ten-year lifespan. The Mengzhou vehicle’s seven-person capacity expands crew size beyond Shenzhou’s three-person limit, enhancing mission frequency while the new ports mitigate the risk of docking-port queuing.
Official Statements & International Context
Qian Hang, a researcher with the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, said the expansion follows the station’s original design intent and warned that increased mission cadence could create docking-port queues, reducing emergency margins. State media Xinhua confirmed that the first expansion phase will introduce the 20-ton multifunctional module, enhancing operational flexibility. NASA has outlined a plan to employ the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle for a controlled ISS re-entry, marking the end of the station’s service.
Verbatim Quotes
- “This expansion has always been part of the original plan,” — Qian Hang, Researcher, China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC)
- “If the missions get more intensive, we risk 'queuing' for docking ports and lack sufficient emergency buffer space,” — Qian Hang, Researcher, CASC
- “Deorbit Vehicle (USDV) in the coming years, and drag the ISS into the atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean in late 2030 or early 2031.” — NASA
What’s Next
Looking ahead, the integration of the new modules and Xuntian will enable continuous scientific operations through the 2030s, extending Tiangong’s presence in orbit as the ISS approaches deorbit.
