China plans to make its Tiangong space station even better!
China is embarking on an ambitious plan to upgrade its Tiangong space station. They aim to increase the station’s operational capabilities. Tiangong, China’s orbital outpost, has been fully operational since November 2022, following the addition of the Mengtian science module. The space station, which has a T-shaped design with three modules, is currently operating in low Earth orbit. Li Ming, chairman of the Science and Technology Committee of the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST), announced the future expansion plans during a recent session at the International Astronautical Congress in Milan.
He said: “In the future, we will try to upgrade our facilities.” The first phase of the upgrades involves modifying the Tianhe core module to accommodate additional modules. Li explained that the goal is to transition from the current T-shape configuration to a new cross shape, also called a Double-T shape. This change is expected to help add more scientific experiment racks and larger extravehicular projects, expanding the scope of research activities on board Tiangong.
Development of new spacecraft
The upgrades also include the development of the Mengzhou spacecraft, designed to support missions to the moon and the Tiangong space station. Li indicated that this spacecraft will provide support for three astronauts on lunar missions and seven for space station operations.
Testing of the Mengzhou spacecraft began in 2020, and the first full mission was expected around 2027, using a new variant of the Long March 10 rocket. This rocket will have two configurations: one tailored for low Earth orbit and another for lunar exploration.
International cooperation and future prospects
Li stated that the latest upgrade will introduce the Chinese Space Station Telescope (CSST), also known as Xuntian. This Hubble-class telescope is expected to strengthen global astronomy initiatives, with a large primary mirror and an expanded field of view. It will allow detailed mapping of the night sky during its expected operational life of ten years.
China is also keen to expand international cooperation within its space program. “Now we are ready to welcome international astronauts to China’s space station program, based on the principle of mutual respect, mutual benefit, inclusiveness and equality,” Li said.
