2026: China's Space Station to Surpass NASA & SpaceX 🚀

Something Very Big is Happening in 2026 with China's Space Station, better than NASA & SpaceX
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#spacezone #space #spacex #starship
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Something Very Big is Happening in 2026 with China's Space Station, better than NASA & SpaceX
Right now, there are only two space stations orbiting Earth: the decades-old ISS and China’s Tiangong Space Station. Sure, Tiangong is newer and smaller, but don’t let that fool you—its advanced tech and efficient design are nothing to take lightly.
And this is just the beginning. In just 1–2 years, Tiangong is set for a major upgrade—one that could completely change how we think about space stations.
Something Very Big is Happening in 2026 with China's Space Station, better than NASA & SpaceX
China's human spaceflight program, known as the Chinese Manned Space Program (CMS), has successfully completed a three-step plan. The phases were: (1) proving they could launch and safely return astronauts, (2) building a space lab that allowed spacewalks and docking with other spacecraft, and (3) constructing and maintaining a long-term space station.
In April 2021, China launched the Tianhe module, which kicked off the assembly of its Tiangong space station. Since then, they’ve regularly sent up cargo using Tianzhou spacecraft and astronaut crews aboard Shenzhou spacecraft. The Shenzhou is China’s version of the SpaceX Crew Dragon or Boeing Starliner.
Something Very Big is Happening in 2026 with China's Space Station, better than NASA & SpaceX
Tianhe is the first module of a third-generation modular space station. It supports three astronauts with living space, guidance and navigation systems, and also handles power, propulsion, and life support. The module includes a living area, a service section, and a docking hub. The living quarters offer 50 cubic meters of space—much roomier than the earlier Tiangong-1, which had only 15 cubic meters.
Inside, there's a kitchen, a toilet, fire safety systems, air and temperature controls, computers, scientific instruments, and communication gear. The station also features a large robotic arm—nicknamed the "Chinarm"—that can move modules and cargo around. This arm is flexible, has seven degrees of motion, and works similarly to Canada’s famous Canadarm2 used on the ISS.