We’ve never seen this much of the station before.
Space Cribs
Chinese astronauts on board the country’s Tiangong space station have given us a rare glimpse into what life is like roughly 260 miles above the surface.
As seen in an almost seven-minute-long video shared by Chinese state-owned news agency CCTV, members of the current Shenzhou-18 crew gave an extensive tour of their temporary abode.
Crew members show off the station’s kitchen, from a small heater that dispenses water into small pouches to a modified microwave. Astronauts also showed off the surprisingly roomy beds that each feature a sizable porthole, with unparalleled views of the Earth below.
We even got a glimpse of the two orbital lab segments, including several cherry tomato and lettuce plants growing in the station’s greenhouse.
In short, it’s an uncommon and surprisingly detailed peek behind the curtain of an otherwise secretive space program that has historically held its cards close to its chest.
Open Hatch Day
In less than two years, China assembled three modules of its space station, which can accommodate a crew of up to three astronauts.
While the country was excluded by the US from participating on board the International Space Station, its space program has made tremendous advancements in a matter of years and is hoping to send astronauts to the surface of the Moon as soon as 2030.
In April, the country sent its latest crew to the orbital lab. Existing members are currently preparing to make their return to Earth after having spent close to half a year on board the station.
During their stay, they’ve observed how zebrafish adapt to their unusual microgravity environment, among several other scientific experiments.
Meanwhile, NASA is getting ready to deorbit the ISS by the end of the decade — and the station’s successor is still largely stuck in the early planning stages.
More on China’s space station: China’s Doubling the Size of Its Space Station