China's Tiangong Space Station: A Growing Force in Space

China plans to expand its space station, Tiangong, in order to increase its influence in space and offer an alternative to the International Space Station (ISS) as it nears the end of its service life. The China Academy of Space Technology (CAST) estimates that Tiangong's operational lifetime will be more than 15 years, surpassing the previously announced 10 years. China aims to become a major space power and has received interest from other countries to send their astronauts to Tiangong. However, the European Space Agency (ESA) has suspended its plan to participate due to financial and political reasons. Russia, on the other hand, is planning to build its own space station with the involvement of its BRICS partners.