BEIJING, June 23 (Xinhua) -- China's space station will get bigger. Tiangong, currently in a T-shaped configuration, will be upgraded to a cross shape with a new module.
The current station consists of the Tianhe core module, the Wentian lab module and the Mengtian lab module in a T configuration. The first phase of expansion will add a new 20-tonne-class multifunctional module, docking with the core module to form a cross shape, according to a report by China Media Group (CMG) on Monday.
"This expansion has always been part of the original plan," Qian Hang, a researcher at the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT), a subsidiary of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), was quoted as saying in the report.
The expansion will add more docking ports, allowing multiple spacecraft to dock simultaneously, an additional extravehicular activity hatch, and expanded storage and experiment capacity.
According to Qian, first, research demand is growing. The more experiments are run in orbit, the more equipment and lab space are becoming saturated, and so the space station must expand physically. Second, crew and cargo missions are expected to become more frequent.
"If the missions get more intensive, we risk 'queuing' for docking ports and lack sufficient emergency buffer space," Qian said.
Since its initial operation, the space station has become a bustling orbital laboratory. To date, 267 scientific and application projects have been deployed and implemented aboard Tiangong. In the past year alone, 86 new in-orbit experiments were added, with approximately 1,179 kilograms of science materials sent up and 105 kilograms of experimental samples returned, generating over 150 terabytes of scientific data, according to the CMG report.
The station is also preparing for the long haul. Currently, it can support three astronauts at a time, but future missions will involve larger crews and longer stays, requiring better living quarters, exercise equipment and emergency support systems.
"Beyond experiments, the station shall also handle spacecraft maintenance, equipment repairs and other in-orbit servicing tasks," Qian said, "The current layout has limitations in extravehicular operations and supplies storage, but expansion will move us toward a comprehensive space hub capable of handling a wider range of missions."
International cooperation is another critical driver. China has already opened its space station to the world. As more countries are likely to participate in crewed missions and joint research, the demand for upgrading the station is inevitable.
"By expanding the scale of our space station, we hope to further increase the scale of our space research, so that more research institutions can have opportunities to conduct scientific research in orbit," said Yang Yuguang, chairman of the Space Transportation Committee of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF).
LONGER-TERM EXPANSION
Qian describes the expansion as a "standardized design with unified interfaces across all modules, allowing new sections to integrate quickly without major modifications to existing facilities."
Looking further ahead, two additional laboratory modules can be docked with the new expansion module, thereby further increasing the space station's capacity, noted Pang Zhihao, a chief science communication expert on space exploration technology.
Yang Hong, chief designer of the space station system, said a longer-term plan would upgrade the station to a six-module configuration, increasing its total mass from the current 90 tonnes to up to 180 tonnes.
At that stage, different modules could be dedicated to specific research fields, and crew capacity would be significantly expanded, he said.
MORE THAN SIZE
Expansion is about more than size. It's about capability. A particularly exciting example is the Xuntian Space Telescope, scheduled for launch in 2027, will fly in co-orbit with the station and dock when maintenance is required.
The space telescope will not be installed on the space station so that it can maintain a safe separation to avoid interference from astronaut movements and equipment vibrations during normal operations, ensuring ultra-precise observations. When it needs maintenance, it can dock with the station for servicing.
This "co-orbital" design transforms the space station into a comprehensive orbital complex that integrates crew habitat, scientific research, technology verification and astronomical observation.
"With Tiangong's expansion, we'll have more research opportunities, and scientists will be able to work at a more comfortable pace. This is of great significance to China's entire space science endeavor," said Yang Yuguang. ■
