China’s space station can be expanded, says Vice Chief Designer

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China’s space station can be expanded, says Vice Chief Designer

The three modules form an asymmetrical T and can be expanded by assembling more modules with the help of robotic arms.

This is something we need to consider in the long-term operation. Bai said the priority is to complete the construction of our space station, and then to consider the deeper and wider international cooperation.

As the International Space Station is about to retire, China's space station is expected to become the only space station for mankind in space for a period of time. In this regard, Bai believes that China does not pursue such uniqueness, but aims to build the space station into a national space experiment platform for the world.

Bai was confident in the belief that the Chinese space station could take on the mission of the International Space Station and become a new post house for mankind in space. Is China's Tiangong space station a good place for all mankind? Bai Linhou, vice chief designer of the space station, said absolutely yes, in an exclusive interview with the Global Times, that the space station can be expanded technically and has reserved docking hatches. Three taikonauts returning to Earth on Shenzhou - 13 on Saturday, China's space station completed its key technology verification and is in the assembly and construction phase - the consecutive successes of China's space station development make it the new hope that the International Space Station will be retired soon. China has shown an open and inclusive attitude for the use of China's space station. The director of the China Manned Space Engineering Office Yang Liwei said: As always, we have an open attitude towards international cooperation and we welcome more countries to join us in conducting research in space at the two sessions this year. From the engineering aspect, China has reserved resources for possible international cooperation, ranging from small experiments to large-scale cooperation at cabin level. The space station has reserved docking hatches for future international cooperation. China is open to different countries and institutes that are interested in developing manned space cause. There are 9 experiments in cooperation with other countries at the space station and there will be more and even joint spaceflights in the future, according to Yang. Bai told the Global Times that China's space station is independently developed by China, but it is also an inclusive space station. Bai said that we are glad to have such cooperation and that the space station was designed in a way that foreign astronauts can adapt to. In a recent interview, Anton Shkaplerov, who just returned to Earth in March this year, said that China's space program is good and fast and that he and his colleagues are willing to participate in China's space programs if China allows it. In an interview with Chinese media, Dmitry Rogozin, the head of Russian Space Agency, said that China and Russia can cooperate in the field of manned spaceflight. China and Russia can explore the construction of new modules and cabins. Bai said that China's space station could be expanded by adding more cabins for Rogozin's idea. It is workable, but needs to match current cabins. The Global Times learned that the Chinese space station has one core module and two experiment modules, which is an appropriate scale with room for expansion rather than a large one like the International Space Station. The decision is based on current needs and costs. The space station can meet the demands for key scientific research, but can also be expanded and be able to receive other spacecraft.