Tiangong Could Become Earth's Only Permanently Crew-Occupied Space Station If ISS Retires First
As of September 2026, Earth orbit hosts two continuously crewed stations—the ISS and China's Tiangong. If the ISS retires around 2030 before commercial replacements are ready, Tiangong could become the only permanently inhabited outpost in orbit. NASA aims to preserve continuity through overlapping crew rotations and a transition to commercial stations, with milestones like hardware testing, certification and coordinated rotations; a legislative extension to 2032 has been proposed, but no firm date is guaranteed. The final outcome will depend on hardware readiness, funding and policy decisions, and commercial plans could allow sustained but non-continuous occupancy rather than a full handover.