Tiangong Space Station

space exploration · China · science lab

China's floating home. Tiangong is China's first space station that stays in orbit all the time, with crews of three astronauts living and working there for about six months at a time.

Experiment central. The station is a science lab where astronauts study how living things grow in space, test new materials, and learn about microgravity, where everything floats because there's no gravity pulling down.

Supply ship visits. Special cargo spacecraft called Tianzhou deliver food, equipment, and experiments to the station regularly, while Shenzhou spacecraft bring the astronauts up and bring them safely back down.

Six during switch. When a new crew arrives, the space station temporarily holds six astronauts as one team hands over to the next, making sure nothing important gets missed.

One of two stations. Tiangong orbits alongside the International Space Station, making them the only two permanently crewed space stations where humans live and work right now.