SpaceTRC / Space Age / Human spaceflight
26 years of living continuously in space.
Since 2 November 2000 at least one person has always been aboard the International Space Station. The station is due to retire at the end of 2030, and China’s Tiangong and commercial stations are expected to take over. This file covers stations, vehicles and the future of human spaceflight.
- Continuous life on the ISS
- 26 yearsSince 2 November 2000
- People who have flown to space
- ≈650–700Depends on the 80 km / 100 km definition
- ISS retirement
- End of 2030Controlled re-entry ≈2031
- Active stations
- 2ISS and Tiangong
01 / ISS
The International Space Station: the final four years
A joint project of the US, Russia, Europe, Japan and Canada, the station circles Earth about every 90 minutes at roughly 400 km. In October 2026 Expedition 75 is under way; with Crew-13, launched on 1 October, eleven people were aboard during the handover.
First medical early return
The Crew-11 crew came home early on 15 January 2026 because of an astronaut’s medical condition, the first medically driven early return in NASA history.
New solar arrays
Spacewalks in October 2026 installed the seventh of eight iROSA solar arrays; one more spacewalk was planned for 5 November.
A controlled farewell
NASA contracted SpaceX for up to 843 million dollars to build the US Deorbit Vehicle that will steer the station into the ocean. A 2026 proposal to “park” it in a higher orbit instead also found support in Congress.
02 / China
Tiangong: China’s permanent station
The three-module Tiangong station has operated in its complete form since 2022. The Shenzhou-23 crew launched on 24 May 2026 includes Lai Ka-ying, the first astronaut from Hong Kong; one crew member will stay about a year, China’s first year-long mission.
Shenzhou-24 is planned to carry a Pakistani payload specialist for a short visit, the first foreign astronaut to fly to Tiangong. Launch is listed for late November 2026.
03 / Vehicles
Vehicles that carry people to space
| Vehicle | Country / company | First crewed flight | Status (Nov 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soyuz | Russia | 1967 | Active, regular ISS flights |
| Shenzhou | China | 2003 | Active, regular Tiangong flights |
| Crew Dragon | SpaceX · USA | 2020 | Active, NASA and private missions |
| Starliner | Boeing · USA | 2024 (test) | Contract cut to 3 flights; first mission will be uncrewed cargo |
| Orion | NASA · USA/Europe | 2026 (Artemis II) | Lunar missions |
| Gaganyaan | ISRO · India | 2027 at the earliest | Uncrewed G1 test around December 2026 |
| Mengzhou | China | Planned | New lunar-capable capsule in testing |
04 / The future
After the ISS: commercial space stations
Rather than build its own replacement, NASA plans to buy services from companies. Four main projects are in the race.
Vast Haven-1
A small single-module station launching on Falcon 9; an uncrewed Dragon docking test comes before the first crew.
Axiom Station
Its first module attaches to the ISS and will separate to fly free before the station retires.
Starlab
To be launched in a single Starship flight; it passed NASA’s critical design review in February 2026.
Orbital Reef
A Blue Origin and Sierra Space project with no updated public schedule.
Türkiye’s astronauts: Alper Gezeravcı and Tuva Cihangir Atasever. See the station overhead: Can I see the ISS tonight?