Tiangong
Tiangong is the second crewed outpost in orbit. Its core module went up in 2021, two laboratory modules joined it in 2022, and it has been continuously occupied since — passing overhead on a noticeably different path from the ISS.
What makes Tiangong different
Three modules in a T
Tianhe, the core module, launched in April 2021 and carries power, propulsion and living quarters. The Wentian and Mengtian laboratory modules docked either side during 2022, giving the station its T shape.
Smaller than the ISS, deliberately
At roughly a fifth of the ISS by mass it was designed to be built and run by one country rather than five agencies. Crews of three rotate about every six months.
A lower inclination
It flies at 41.5° against the ISS’s 51.6°, so it covers less of the far north. Above about 42° latitude it never passes directly overhead — only lower toward the horizon.
Bright enough to watch
It is second only to the ISS among crewed objects for naked-eye visibility, appearing as a steady moving point rather than a blinking one.
The tracked object here is Tianhe, the core module, catalogued as NORAD 48274; the assembled station flies as one body around it. Tiangong sits near 390 km, a little lower than the ISS, and reboosts periodically against the same atmospheric drag. Its 41.5° inclination follows from the latitude of the Jiuquan launch site and the trajectory its rockets fly — the same logic that put Hubble at 28.5° and the ISS at 51.6°. The result is a ground track that covers the inhabited middle latitudes densely and the poles not at all.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Tiangong right now?
The altitude at the top of this page is live, with its ground position beneath it, computed from current orbital data with SGP4. The ground track shows one full orbit.
Is Tiangong bigger than the ISS?
No. It is roughly a fifth of the ISS by mass, with three modules against the ISS’s sixteen or so pressurised elements.
Can I see Tiangong from my garden?
Yes, on a favourable pass — it is one of the brighter objects in the sky. Its lower inclination makes passes less frequent the further north you live.
How long do crews stay aboard?
Roughly six months, in crews of three, with brief handovers where six people are aboard at once.