![]() What's more, the already extended ISS lifespan may be further prolonged, although there are many issues surrounding its end date. The Russians seem to like the idea, too - they already have plans for a luxury space hotel. Even Blue Origin has shown interest in building a space station. Supported by NASA, private corporations have started designing their own orbital modules, from Bigelow Aerospace's inflatable habitat B330 to the commercial laboratory and residential infrastructure built by Axiom. Tiangong might not remain alone for long either. Astronauts from Europe's space agency, ESA, have in fact begun training with Chinese "taikonauts," and international projects have been included in the station's first approved batch of selected experiments. There are signs the country is trying to be more open, having already declared Tiangong will be open to host non-Chinese crews and science projects. ![]() This may be particularly important given NASA's criticism following the recent Chinese out-of-control rocket that plunged into the Indian Ocean. But it doesn't have to be this way and, if things go as planned, it won't be.Ĭhina may use this opportunity to win back trust and attract international collaboration. Some worry this makes it a security threat, arguing its science modules could be easily converted for military purposes, such as spying on countries. Until the Gateway is launched, however, Tiangong - which will be placed in lower Earth orbit and have an expected life of 15 years - will probably remain the only functioning space station. This is an international initiative part of the U.S.-led Artemis program that again sees China excluded. ![]() It's scheduled to be decommissioned after 2024 to leave place for the Lunar Gateway, a small outpost that will orbit the Moon. Over its two decades and counting of service, the only permanent human outpost in space has hosted about 250 astronauts from 19 different countries, carrying out hundreds of spacewalks and thousands of scientific experiments.īut the ISS is coming to its natural end. and Russia) and old friends (Japan, Canada and Europe). If anything can be called the UN in space, it is the ISS, which has as collaborators former cold war enemies (U.S. The Chinese station will be smaller and similar in design and size to the former Soviet Mir space station, meaning it will have limited capacity for astronauts (three versus six on ISS).Īfter all, it doesn't have as much money behind it as the ISS and there are not as many countries involved. That said, Tiangong does not aim to compete with the ISS.
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