Without a telescope
Yes, easilyUnmistakable: magnitude −3.0 at its best, brighter than every star in the sky.
Satellites›Space stations›Tiangong space station
Tiangong space station
The Tiangong space station is a crewed space station from China. Its first module was launched on April 29, 2021 from Wenchang, China. It is in a low orbit, 380 to 385 km above the ground, and goes around the Earth every 92.2 minutes: 15.6 times a day, at 7.68 km/s (27,600 km/h).
Where the Tiangong space station is right now
The gold ring is its orbit, and the line drops to the point on the ground under it. Inside the white circle it is above the horizon. Drag the globe to turn it, pinch or use the buttons to come closer; the target button brings you back to the satellite. The 2D map shows its path over the ground for the next lap: gold where it is in sunlight, dashed where it is in Earth’s shadow.
Finding the Tiangong space station…
Tiangong space station
Finding the Tiangong space station…
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- Now
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About the Tiangong space station
China’s space station. Its core module, Tianhe, was launched in April 2021, and two laboratory modules, Wentian and Mengtian, joined it in 2022 to form a T. Three astronauts live aboard, six for a few days when crews change over. After the International Space Station it is the brightest satellite in the sky.
Can you see it?
From where
It passes straight overhead only between latitudes 42° north and 42° south, and rises above the horizon as far as about 60°. Nearer the poles than that it is never in the sky.
A satellite shows only when your sky is dark and it is still in sunlight: in the hours after dusk and before dawn.
When it passes over you
The app works out its passes over your exact location, alerts you before one, and leads you to it with an arrow in the camera view.
The facts
- Catalogue number (NORAD)
- 48274
- International designator
- 2021-035A
- Name in the catalogue
- CSS (TIANHE)
- Type
- Satellite
- Belongs to
- China
- Launched
- April 29, 2021
- Launched from
- Wenchang, China
- Status
- Operational
- Orbit
- Low Earth orbit
- Lowest point
- 380 km
- Highest point
- 385 km
- Tilt to the equator
- 41.5°
- One lap
- 92.2 minutes
- Laps a day
- 15.62
- Speed
- 7.68 km/s
- At its brightest
- mag −3.0 estimated, overhead
- Standard brightness
- mag −0.9 from 1,000 km, half lit
Orbit measured November 13, 2026, from CelesTrak. Heights are above the ground at the equator. Page updated November 14, 2026.
Quick answers
Where is the Tiangong space station right now?
The map on this page shows where the Tiangong space station is at this moment, the path it will follow over the ground for the next lap, and the part of the Earth it is above the horizon for. It is worked out from the latest tracking data.
How high is the Tiangong space station?
Between 380 km at its lowest and 385 km at its highest, above the ground.
How fast does the Tiangong space station go?
About 7.68 km/s, which is 27,600 km/h. One lap of the Earth takes it 92.2 minutes, so it goes around 15.6 times a day.
Can you see the Tiangong space station without a telescope?
Yes, easily. Unmistakable: magnitude −3.0 at its best, brighter than every star in the sky.
When was the Tiangong space station launched?
Its first module was launched on April 29, 2021, from Wenchang, China.
With the app
Knowing where it is over the Earth is one thing. The app shows you where it is in your sky.
This page follows the satellite around the planet. The app works out when it passes over you, and leads you to it.
- Every pass over your exact location, for this satellite and 10,000+ more.
- An alert before it rises, so you are outside in time.
- An arrow in the camera view that leads you to the exact spot in the sky.
- Starlink trains, Tiangong, Hubble and the brightest satellites of tonight.