China plans six-module Tiangong expansion with Xuntian space telescope

China aims to expand its Tiangong space station from three to six modules, adding a 20-ton multifunctional module and two new experiment modules to form a double-T shape, with the bus-sized Xuntian space observatory slated for 2027 to dock with Tiangong. The expansion addresses growing research needs and more frequent crew/cargo missions, while NASA plans to deorbit the ISS around 2030–2031, potentially leaving Tiangong as the largest permanent orbital outpost.