China has confirmed plans to expand its space station, potentially more than doubling in size to meet growing scientific demand and expand international cooperation.

The ISS, led by Nasa and built with contributions from 15 countries, is the biggest structure in space and has been a laboratory for more than 3,000 experiments.

Nasa plans to retire the ISS in early 2031, using a dedicated deorbit vehicle being developed by SpaceX to guide it into a controlled re-entry over the South Pacific.

China’s T-shaped Tiangong space station will first be fitted with a fourth module – a multifunctional extension to the Tianhe core – turning it into a cross-shaped configuration, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

The new module will have multiple docking ports, including for a pair of future laboratory units, paving the way for a six-module structure with a total mass of about 180 tonnes.

No timeline for the expansion has been released.