[China Releases 2025 Report on Scientific Research and Application Progress of the Chinese Space Station: Stable On-Orbit Operation and Continuous Emerging Application Achievements]
CNSA –China National Space Administration , China, People’s Republic of China On January 8, 2026, the China Manned Space Engineering Office publicly released the 2025 Report on Scientific Research and Application Progress of the Chinese Space Station.
The report aims to comprehensively promote the vigorous development of space science, space technology, and space applications. Focusing on areas such as space life sciences and human research, microgravity physics, and new space technologies and applications, it selects 33 representative scientific research and application achievements from scientific and application projects that have completed on-orbit experiments, obtained downlink scientific experimental samples, and achieved analytical results, showcasing related science popularization and cultural activities. This report addresses the concerns and expectations of all sectors of society regarding the construction and development of the Chinese space station, reflects China’s capabilities and innovative spirit in the field of space technology, and plays a positive role in promoting more in-depth space science experimental research, achieving high-level scientific breakthroughs, large-scale application promotion, and multi-dimensional benefit enhancement.
To ensure the quality of the report, the China Manned Space Engineering Office organized over a hundred experts and scholars from various fields to summarize, analyze, and select the best findings. The published results are comprehensive, involving 22 research institutes and 19 universities (including 6 national key laboratories), as well as 3 hospitals and 1 high-tech enterprise, totaling 45 units and 61 research teams. This reflects the collective wisdom and hard work of experts and scholars across all fields of science and application related to the Chinese space station.
Since entering the space station application and development phase, China’s manned space program has successfully completed 6 manned flights, 4 cargo resupply missions, and 5 spacecraft return missions, including its first emergency launch. Six astronaut crews, totaling 18 personnel, have maintained long-term stays in orbit, conducting 13 extravehicular activities (EVAs) and multiple payload EVAs, carrying out numerous extravehicular maintenance missions, setting a new world record for the longest single EVA, and completing the selection of the fourth batch of reserve astronauts, including payload experts from Hong Kong and Macau, as well as the selection and development of a low-cost cargo transportation system. Currently, the Chinese space station is operating stably in orbit and demonstrating its effectiveness.
The space science, applied experiments, and technological tests being conducted on the Chinese Space Station are progressing smoothly and yielding fruitful results, demonstrating a certain degree of cutting-edge sophistication and innovation. Currently, China has planned four major research areas and 32 research themes: space life and human research, microgravity physics, space astronomy and earth science, and new space technologies and applications. As of December 2025, 267 scientific and applied projects have been deployed and implemented in orbit within the three major areas of space life and human research, microgravity physics, and new space technologies and applications.
In 2025, 86 new scientific and applied projects were added to the in-orbit program, carrying approximately 1179 kg of scientific materials, including experimental modules, units, and samples, uplinked to the atmosphere, and approximately 105 kg of space science experimental samples downlinked to the atmosphere, acquiring over 150 TB of scientific data. Over the past year, several significant advancements have been achieved. The first mouse space science experiment on the Chinese space station was successfully completed; the first international study on the biological environment of the space station under submagnetic and microgravity conditions was conducted; a novel magnesium ion binding mode of bacteriophage adenosine triphosphate hydrolase was discovered in in-orbit experiments; a non-invasive intracranial pressure monitoring technology based on transorbital ultrasound measurement of the subarachnoid space of the optic nerve was proposed for the first time internationally; a series of influential scientific discoveries were made regarding the solidification mechanism of high-temperature refractory alloys; the formation mechanism and influencing factors of different phases in multiphase iron-based magnetostrictive alloys were clarified; and the first international in-orbit test of a space station pipeline inspection robot yielded groundbreaking results.
To maximize the benefits of in-orbit scientific research, scientific teams in various fields have focused on major national needs and cutting-edge technologies, producing a series of original, cutting-edge, and innovative results. Preliminary statistics show that over 230 high-level SCI papers were published in 2025, and more than 70 patents were obtained. Through in-depth experimental research and application exploration, some results have been transferred and applied, significantly promoting the rapid development of space science and its applications in China. Space exploration is a never-ending journey. As a national space laboratory, the Chinese Space Station will continue to carry out a series of space science research projects, actively promote science popularization and international cooperation, gather high-level scientific research forces from home and abroad, and comprehensively support the integrated development of China’s space science, space technology and space applications, making significant contributions to accelerating the construction of a science and technology powerhouse and a space powerhouse.
Images and visuals are from their Respectives CMS China Manned SpaceCNSA-China National Space Administration