Direct answer: As of late 2025, there are two active space stations in orbit: the International Space Station (ISS) and China's Tiangong Space Station (TSS). The ISS has been continuously inhabited since 2000, and Tiangong has been continuously inhabited since 2022, making them the only two operational space stations in orbit today.
Context and quick notes:
- The ISS is a multinational collaboration and remains in low Earth orbit with ongoing solar array upgrades and crew rotations.
- Tiangong entered sustained human occupancy in 2022 and operates as a modular station in low Earth orbit.
- Other historical or proposed stations have been announced or discussed, but none are currently active alongside ISS and Tiangong.
If you’d like, I can pull the latest official statements from NASA or CNSA for any updates beyond November 2025.
