CSS (China Space Station) - Tiangong

The Tiangong Program (中国 空间站) is a Chinese space station program, reached the third generation, comparable to Mir. This program is independent and not connected to any other country active in space. The program began in 1992 as Project 921-2. As of January 2013, China has carried out an extensive multiphase construction program that will lead to a large space station around 2020.

China launched its first space laboratory, Tiangong 1, in September 2011. After that, a more advanced space laboratory complete with cargo ship, called Tiangong 2, was launched in September 2016. The project will culminate with a large orbital station, which will consist of a central 20-ton module, 2 smaller research modules and freight transport vehicles. It will host three astronauts on long-term missions and is expected to be completed in the 2020s, when the International Space Station is expected to cease operations, but has since slipped to 2022.