China Considering Further Expanding Recently Completed Tiangong Space Station

According to a senior space official, China is considering adding additional modules to their recently completed Tiangong modular space station.

Currently the station consists of 3 modules in a T-shaped configuration, this expansion could see a new core module added as well as other modules.

“Following our current design, we can continue to launch an extension module to dock with the forward section of the space station, and the extension module can carry a new hub for docking with the subsequent space vehicles,” Wang Xiang, commander of the space station system at the China Academy of Space Technology tells CCTV following the return of Shenzou-14 crew.

Wang said the additional modules would provide the crew with a larger and more comfortable environment while expanding the scientific possibilities on Station. This would also allow for scientific payloads to be installed inside and outside the orbiting lab.

China’s first astronaut to reach space and now deputy chief designer of China’s human spaceflight project, Yang Liwei revealed in March that a number of countries have submitted application to send their crew to Tiangong, however no information has been released stating which countries.