The Chinese have a go it alone approach with their space station Tiangong, although they have been open to having nations participate who are not involved already with ISS. Docking equipment for their spacecraft and space station are apparently based on APAS (Androgynous Peripheral Attachment System) a Russian-developed docking standard that was used for Shuttle to ISS (and MIR). APAS was the basis for the newer IDSS (international docking system standard) currently used for ISS, which is not fully compatible with China’s docking systems.

The lack of fully compatible docking systems is something that could be overcome with cooperation – Remember the Apollo-Soyuz handshake in space? However, Tiangong and ISS are in different orbital paths which apparently prohibits travel between them. There was a proposal that Tiangong, could be boosted to the same orbit as ISS and be about 100km away, but political reasons have prevented it. Congress passed the Wolf Amendment in 2011, which prohibits NASA from using appropriated funds to collaborate with China on space activities, effectively blocking any cooperation with the ISS program.

Private space stations currently in the works include: Axiom Space Inc.’s Axiom station scheduled to begin initial station parts launch in 2026 and the main station’s launch in 2027. Vast Inc, launching their Haven-1 space station in 2026. Blue Origin planning to build the Orbital Reef for tourism and science with a launch timeline before ISS is retired in 2030. Voyager Space is developing the Starlab space station in partnership with companies like Hilton, with a launch timeline before 2031.

As for a kumbaya “let’s all go together to Mars” program, fat chance. Competition is what drives exploration. European nations didn’t set out exploring the world in partnership. America and China will race each other to the moon and then to Mars. Private corporations will race each other in the same way.