# List of space stations

A space station (or orbital station) is a spacecraft which remains in orbit and hosts humans for extended periods of time. It therefore is an artificial satellite featuring habitation facilities. The purpose of maintaining a space station varies depending on the program. Most often space stations have been research stations, but they have also served military or commercial uses, such as hosting space tourists.
Space stations have been hosting the only continuous presence of humans in space. The first space station was Salyut 1 (1971), hosting the first crew, of the ill-fated Soyuz 11. Consecutively space stations have been operated since Skylab (1973) and occupied since 1987 with the Salyut successor Mir. Uninterrupted occupation has been sustained since the operational transition from the Mir to the International Space Station (ISS), with its first occupation in 2000.
Currently there are two fully operational space stations – the ISS and China's Tiangong Space Station (TSS), which have been occupied since October 2000 with Expedition 1 and since June 2022 with Shenzhou 14. The highest number of people at the same time on one space station has been 13, first achieved with the eleven day docking to the ISS of the 127th Space Shuttle mission in 2009. The record for most people on all space stations at the same time has been 17, first on May 30, 2023, with 11 people on the ISS and 6 on the TSS.

## Past stations

These stations have re-entered the atmosphere and disintegrated.
The Soviet Union ran two programs simultaneously in the 1970s, both of which were called Salyut publicly. The Long Duration Orbital Station (DOS) program was intended for scientific research into spaceflight. The Almaz program was a secret military program that tested space reconnaissance.
$^‡$ = Never crewed
| Name | Program Entity | Crew size | Launched | Reentered | Days in orbit | Days occu- pied | Total crew and visitors | Number of crewed visits | Number of robotic visits | Mass (* = at launch) | Pressurized volume |
| Salyut 1 | DOS | 3 | 19 April 1971 | 11 October 1971 | 175 | 24 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 18,425 kg (40,620 lb) | 100 m$^3$ (3,500 cu ft) |
| Salyut 1 | MOM | 3 | 19 April 1971 | 11 October 1971 | 175 | 24 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 18,425 kg (40,620 lb) | 100 m$^3$ (3,500 cu ft) |
| DOS-2$^‡$ | DOS | — | 29 July 1972 | 29 July 1972 | failed to reach orbit | — | — | — | — | 18,000 kg (40,000 lb) | — |
| DOS-2$^‡$ | RVSN | — | 29 July 1972 | 29 July 1972 | failed to reach orbit | — | — | — | — | 18,000 kg (40,000 lb) | — |
| Salyut 2$^‡$ | Almaz | — | 3 April 1973 | 16 April 1973 | 13 | — | — | — | — | 18,500 kg (40,800 lb) | — |
| Salyut 2$^‡$ | MOM | — | 3 April 1973 | 16 April 1973 | 13 | — | — | — | — | 18,500 kg (40,800 lb) | — |
| Kosmos 557$^‡$ | DOS | — | 11 May 1973 | 22 May 1973 | 11 | — | — | — | — | 19,400 kg (42,800 lb) | — |
| Kosmos 557$^‡$ | MOM | — | 11 May 1973 | 22 May 1973 | 11 | — | — | — | — | 19,400 kg (42,800 lb) | — |
| Skylab | Skylab | 3 | 14 May 1973 | 11 July 1979 | 2249 | 171 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 77,088 kg (169,950 lb) | 360 m$^3$ (12,700 cu ft) |
| Skylab | NASA | 3 | 14 May 1973 | 11 July 1979 | 2249 | 171 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 77,088 kg (169,950 lb) | 360 m$^3$ (12,700 cu ft) |
| Salyut 3 | Almaz | 2 | 25 June 1974 | 24 January 1975 | 213 | 15 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 18,900 kg (41,700 lb)* | 90 m$^3$ (3,200 cu ft) |
| Salyut 3 | MOM | 2 | 25 June 1974 | 24 January 1975 | 213 | 15 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 18,900 kg (41,700 lb)* | 90 m$^3$ (3,200 cu ft) |
| Salyut 4 | DOS | 2 | 26 December 1974 | 3 February 1977 | 770 | 92 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 18,900 kg (41,700 lb)* | 90 m$^3$ (3,200 cu ft) |
| Salyut 4 | MOM | 2 | 26 December 1974 | 3 February 1977 | 770 | 92 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 18,900 kg (41,700 lb)* | 90 m$^3$ (3,200 cu ft) |
| Salyut 5 | Almaz | 2 | 22 June 1976 | 8 August 1977 | 412 | 67 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 19,000 kg (42,000 lb)* | 100 m$^3$ (3,500 cu ft) |
| Salyut 5 | MOM | 2 | 22 June 1976 | 8 August 1977 | 412 | 67 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 19,000 kg (42,000 lb)* | 100 m$^3$ (3,500 cu ft) |
| Salyut 6 | DOS | 2 | 29 September 1977 | 29 July 1982 | 1764 | 683 | 33 | 16 | 14 | 19,000 kg (42,000 lb) | 90 m$^3$ (3,200 cu ft) |
| Salyut 6 | MOM | 2 | 29 September 1977 | 29 July 1982 | 1764 | 683 | 33 | 16 | 14 | 19,000 kg (42,000 lb) | 90 m$^3$ (3,200 cu ft) |
| Salyut 7 | DOS | 3 | 19 April 1982 | 7 February 1991 | 3216 | 861 | 22 | 10 | 15 | 19,000 kg (42,000 lb) | 90 m$^3$ (3,200 cu ft) |
| Salyut 7 | MOM | 3 | 19 April 1982 | 7 February 1991 | 3216 | 861 | 22 | 10 | 15 | 19,000 kg (42,000 lb) | 90 m$^3$ (3,200 cu ft) |
| Mir | DOS | 3 | 19 February 1986 | 23 March 2001 | 5511 | 4594 | 125 | 39 | 68 | 129,700 kg (285,900 lb) | 350 m$^3$ (12,400 cu ft) |
| Mir | MOM Roscosmos | 3 | 19 February 1986 | 23 March 2001 | 5511 | 4594 | 125 | 39 | 68 | 129,700 kg (285,900 lb) | 350 m$^3$ (12,400 cu ft) |
| Tiangong-1 | Tiangong | 3 | 29 September 2011 | 2 April 2018 | 2377 | 22 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 8,506 kg (18,753 lb) | 15 m$^3$ (530 cu ft) |
| Tiangong-1 | CMSA | 3 | 29 September 2011 | 2 April 2018 | 2377 | 22 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 8,506 kg (18,753 lb) | 15 m$^3$ (530 cu ft) |
| Tiangong-2 | Tiangong | 2 | 15 September 2016 | 19 July 2019 | 1037 | 29 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 8,506 kg (18,753 lb) | 15 m$^3$ (530 cu ft) |
| Tiangong-2 | CMSA | 2 | 15 September 2016 | 19 July 2019 | 1037 | 29 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 8,506 kg (18,753 lb) | 15 m$^3$ (530 cu ft) |

## Prototypes

These stations are prototypes; they only exist as testing platforms and were never intended to be crewed. OPS 0855 was part of a cancelled Manned Orbiting Laboratory project by the United States, while the Genesis stations were launched privately. The Genesis stations were "retired" when their avionics systems stopped working after two and a half years, yet they still remain in orbit as derelict spacecraft.
| Name | Entity | Program | Launched | Reentered | Days in orbit | Mass | Pressurized volume |
| OPS 0855 | USAF | MOL | 3 November 1966 | 9 January 1967 | 67 | 9,680 kg (21,340 lb) | 11.3 m$^3$ (400 cu ft) |
| Genesis I | Bigelow Aerospace | | 12 July 2006 | (In Orbit) | 6820 | 1,360 kg (3,000 lb) | 11.5 m$^3$ (410 cu ft) |
| Genesis II | Bigelow Aerospace | | 28 June 2007 | (In Orbit) | 6469 | 1,360 kg (3,000 lb) | 11.5 m$^3$ (406 cu ft) |

## Operational stations

As of 2025, two stations are orbiting Earth with life support system in place and fully operational.
| Name | Entity | Crew size | Launched | Days in orbit | Days occupied | Total crew and visitors | Crewed visits | Robotic visits | Mass | Pressurized volume | Habitable volume |
| International Space Station | NASA Roscosmos ESA CSA JAXA | 7 | 20 November 1998 | 9611 | 8900 | 230 | 88 | 94 | 450,000 kg (990,000 lb) | 1,005 m$^3$ (35,500 cu ft) | 388 m$^3$ (13,700 cu ft) |
| Tiangong space station | CMSA | 3–6 | 29 April 2021 | 1415 | 1285 | 24 | 8 | 8 | 100,000 kg (220,000 lb) | 340 m$^3$ (12,000 cu ft) | 122 m$^3$ (4,310 cu ft) |

## Planned and proposed

These space stations have been announced by their host entity and are currently in planning, development or production. The launch date listed here may change as more information becomes available.
| Name | Entity | Program | Crew size | Launch date | Planned Pressurized Volume | Remarks |
| Haven-1 | Vast | Private | 4 | May 2026 | 80 m$^3$ | "Scheduled to be the world's first commercial space station, Haven-1 and subsequent human spaceflight missions will accelerate access to space exploration" |
| LIFE Pathfinder | Sierra Space | Private | TBD | 2026 | 285 m$^3$ | "Before offering LIFE for Orbital Reef, though, the company is proposing to launch a standalone “pathfinder” version of LIFE as soon as the end of 2026". |
| StarMax | Gravitics | Private | TBD | 2026 | 400 m$^3$ (14,126 cu ft) | "The StarMax module provides up to 400 cubic meters of usable habitable volume - nearly half the volume of the International Space Station in one module." |
| Axiom Station | Axiom Space | Private | TBD | 2027 | ~666.8 m$^3$ (~23,548 cu ft) | Private, free flying space station for commercial tourism and science activities. |
| Lunar Gateway | NASA ESA CSA JAXA | Artemis | 4 | 2027 | ≥125 m$^3$ (4,400 cu ft) | Intended to serve as a science platform and as a staging area for the lunar landings of NASA's Artemis program and follow-on human mission to Mars. |
| Orbital Reef | Blue Origin Sierra Space | Private | 10 | 2027 | 830 m$^3$ (29,000 cu ft) | "Commercial station in LEO for research, industrial, international, and commercial customers." |
| Russian Orbital Service Station | Roscosmos | Russia's next generation space station. | TBD | 2027 | | With Russia leaving the ISS programme sometime after 2024, Roscosmos announced this new space station in April 2021 as the replacement for that program. |
| Bharatiya Antariksha Station | ISRO | Indian Human Spaceflight Programme | 3 | ~2028 | | ISRO chairman K. Sivan announced in 2019 that India will not join the International Space Station, but will instead build a space station of its own. of 52 Tonne Mass It is intended to be completed 5–7 years after the conclusion of the Gaganyaan program. |
| Starlab | NanoRacks Voyager Space Airbus MDA Space Mitsubishi Corporation | Private | 4 | 2028 | ~450 m$^3$ (~15892 cu ft) | "Commercial platform supporting a business designed to enable science, research, and manufacturing for customers around the world." While originally Lockheed Martin was included in the project, as of 2024, it appears their primary role has been filled by Airbus, to provide the main habitat for the station. As of 2024, they are no longer listed as a partner on Starlab's website. |
| Haven-2 | Vast | Private | 12 | 2028 | 1160 m$^3$ | A planned successor to Haven-1. Vast CEO Max Hoat expressed hope that the first module of Haven-2 will be launched in 2028 if the station will be approved during the second phase of NASA's Commercial LEO Destinations program. |
| Lunar Orbital Station | Roscosmos | | TBD | after 2030 | | |
| Artificial Gravity Station | Vast | Private | 40 | 2035 | 1400 m$^3$ | |
| Japanese Space Station Module (Mitsui) | JAXA|Mitsui & Co. | TBA | TBD | TBD | | Japan's spaceflight agency, JAXA, announced in July 2024 that has contracted Mitsui & Co. to develop a concept for a new space station module for eventual flight and docking to an American private space station as yet to be determined as of the initial announcement. |

## Concepts

| Name | Entity | Crew Size | Pressurized Volume |
| Station in a Box | Above | TBD | TBD |
| Pioneer Station | Above | 28 | TBD |
| Voyager Station | Above | 400 | TBD |
| VERA Station | Gateway Spaceport LLC | 200 | 369,523 m$^3$ |
| Gateway Spaceport | Gateway Spaceport LLC | TBD | 11,906,250 m$^3$ |
| Mars Base Camp | Lockheed Martin | TBD | TBD |

## Cancelled projects

Most of these stations were canceled due to financial difficulties, or merged into other projects.
| Name | Entity | Crew | Cancellation | Remarks |
| Manned Orbiting Laboratory 1–7 | USAF | 2 | 1969 | Boilerplate mission launched successfully, wider project cancelled due to excessive costs |
| Skylab B | NASA | 3 | 1976 | Constructed, but launch cancelled due to lack of funding. Now a museum piece. |
| OPS-4 | USSR | 3 | 1979 | Constructed, but Almaz program cancelled in favour of uncrewed recon satellites. |
| Freedom | NASA | 14–16 | 1993 | Merged to form the basis of the International Space Station. |
| Mir-2 | USSR Roscosmos | 2 | 1993 | Merged to form the basis of the International Space Station. |
| Columbus MTFF | ESA | 3 | 1993 | Merged to form the basis of the International Space Station. |
| Galaxy | Bigelow Aerospace | Robotic | 2007 | Canceled due to rising costs and ability to ground test key Galaxy subsystems |
| Sundancer | Bigelow Aerospace | 3 | 2011 | Was under construction, but cancelled in favour of developing B330. |
| Almaz commercial | Excalibur Almaz | 4+ | 2016 | Soviet hardware was acquired, but never launched due to lack of funds. |
| Tiangong-3 | CNSA | 3 | 2017 | The goals for Tiangong-2 and 3 were merged, and were completed by a single station rather than two separate stations. |
| OPSEK | Roscosmos | 2+ | 2017 | Some modules such as Nauka were launched and attached to the ISS- but proposals to split these off as a separate station were cancelled, and they instead remain part of the ISS. |
| B330 | Bigelow Aerospace | 3 | 2020 | Test articles were constructed but not flight ready hardware; cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. |
| Northrop Grumman CLD | Northrop Grumman | 4-8 | 2023 | Developed under the Commercial LEO Destinations program, cancelled by Northrop Grumman to partner with Nanoracks on Starlab. |