Scientific experiments on Tiangong-2, the predecessor of the China Space Station

'The fact is that after ISS, China may be the only station in orbit,' remarked Leroy Chiao, a former NASA astronaut and commander of the International Space Station (ISS). As of July 2022, Tianhe, the core module of the China Space Station (CSS), has been orbiting the Earth for more than a year, and the Wentian experiment module joined the Tianhe station on 25 July. Together, they make up about two thirds of the CSS. Later in October, the third piece of the puzzle, the Mengtian experiment module, will complete the T-shaped structure of the CSS. In 2024, the China Sky Survey Telescope, Xuntian, will enter orbit. The ISS, on the other hand, was just mentioned in Russia's response to the latest round of economic sanctions, confirming the concern expressed by Commander Chiao when he said 'The ISS will be deorbited in 2030. The politics with the Russians is no longer tenable.'