Design and Application Prospect of China’s Tiangong Space Station

Abstract

As a manned spacecraft operating in orbit for a long time, a space station embodies a country’s scientific and technological strength comprehensively. Building a space station is the final target of the 3-step strategy of China’s manned space program. This paper introduces the design of the Tiangong space station in terms of its design principles, overall scheme, building process, and special system design. On this basis, the paper analyzes and summarizes the technical characteristics of the Tiangong space station in the aspects of system design and optimization, the large proportion of new technologies, the excellent cost-effectiveness ratio, and the high safety and efficiency of the crew’s residence. Finally, it discusses the future application and development of the Tiangong space station.