Information
Explore history, facts, modules, and life on board Tiangong Space Station.
Tiangong Space Station
China’s modular station for long-duration crewed research in low Earth orbit.
Tiangong is the Chinese space station assembled from core and laboratory modules to support sustained human presence, science, and technology operations in low Earth orbit.
Crew capacity
3 nominal; up to 6 during handover
Standard long-duration crews are three astronauts, with overlap during rotations.
Mass
about 66-70 t
Approximate mass for the three-module station, excluding temporary visiting vehicles.
Altitude band
340-450 km
Typical low Earth orbit operating band.
Assembly
2021-2022
Core module plus two laboratory modules.
Orbit and path
Inclination
41.5 deg
Period
about 92 min
Speed
about 7.7 km/s
Dimensions and volume
Length
about 55.6 m
Mass
about 66-70 t
Three-module station without visiting vehicles
Living/activity space
up to about 110 m3
Modules and layout
Tianhe
Core module
Provides command, life support, and central docking functions.
Wentian and Mengtian
Laboratories
Expand science capability, crew working volume, and external payload support.
Timeline
Tianhe launches
The core module starts Tiangong assembly.
Wentian added
First laboratory module docks to the station.
Mengtian added
Second laboratory module completes the main T-shape configuration.
Science and life aboard
Research focus
Life and physical sciences
Supports biology, fluids, combustion, space medicine, and technology payloads.
Life and operations
Long-duration operations
Crew rotations support station maintenance, experiment execution, and visiting vehicle handling.
Good to know
Name meaning
Tiangong translates roughly to “Heavenly Palace.”
All values are approximate and vary with configuration.