Robot model
Tianzhou
Autonomous cargo spacecraft performing fast autonomous rendezvous-and-docking with the Tiangong space station.
- Manufacturer
- China Manned Space Agency
- Form factor
- space
- Maturity
- production
- Lifecycle
- active
- Deployments
- 2
Deploy Watch
Track Tianzhou on Deploy.
We notify you when a verified state change lands on the record, not when the company issues a claim.
Key facts
Form factor
Maker
Role
Autonomy level
Specs
Role
Autonomy
Data & sources
Web sources
2
2 sources backing this record.View all →
Pricing
No verified price is on record for Tianzhou. Physical-AI systems are often sold through enterprise contracts or operated as a service rather than at a public list price.
Deployments (2)
Tianzhou robotic cargo spacecraft conducting regular resupply missions to the Tiangong space station since Tianzhou-3 in September 2021.
The Tianzhou cargo spacecraft operates in low Earth orbit to deliver supplies and propellant to the Tiangong space station.
Tianzhou on the deployment map
Where Tianzhou is verified operating. Explore the deployment map by place and type.
Recent activity
Every change to this record is dated, sourced, and independently verified where marked.
- Verified media addedVerifiedJun 6, 2026
Tianzhou cargo spacecraft rapid docking
- Record createdJun 5, 2026
Added to the verified registry
- Deployment verifiedVerifiedSep 20, 2021
at Low Earth Orbit (Tiangong Space Station)
- Deployment verifiedVerifiedMay 29, 2021
at Low Earth Orbit (Tiangong Space Station)
Deployment-verified media (1)
Chinese state broadcaster (CGTN) explainer on the Tianzhou cargo spacecraft's rapid autonomous rendezvous and docking with the Tiangong space station. An operating program, attributed to the CNSA.
From deployment: Low Earth Orbit (Tiangong Space Station)
Safety record
No incidents on record for Tianzhou.
Only active incidents are counted. Retracted incidents are excluded from this summary but remain reachable at their canonical URLs.
Sources (2)
Common questions
- What is Tianzhou?
- Autonomous cargo spacecraft performing fast autonomous rendezvous-and-docking with the Tiangong space station.
- How much does Tianzhou cost?
- Tianzhou's price is not publicly disclosed. DEPLOY has no verified price on record for Tianzhou from China Manned Space Agency. Physical-AI systems like this are often sold through enterprise contracts or operated as a service rather than at a public list price; check the manufacturer for the latest.
- Is Tianzhou actually deployed in the real world?
- Yes. Tianzhou is independently verified in real-world operation on the DEPLOY registry, confirmed at named deployment sites with primary sources: not a concept, render, or demo-only.
- Who makes Tianzhou?
- Tianzhou is made by China Manned Space Agency, based in Beijing, China, founded in 1993.
- Where is Tianzhou deployed?
- 2 verified deployments of Tianzhou are on the DEPLOY registry, including at Low Earth Orbit (Tiangong Space Station).
- Can you buy Tianzhou?
- Tianzhou is in commercial deployment and is sold to operators; contact the manufacturer to buy, and see the pricing section for any recorded price.
- What are alternatives to Tianzhou?
- On the DEPLOY registry, comparable space robots to Tianzhou include Chang'e Lander, Mira, W-Series Capsule, Astrobee.
- How does Tianzhou compare to Chang'e Lander?
- Tianzhou and Chang'e Lander (China National Space Administration · 4 deployments) are both space robots on the DEPLOY registry. Tianzhou has 2 verified deployments on record. Compare both records for specs, safety, deployments, and verified-vs-claimed autonomy.
- Is Tianzhou a top space?
- On DEPLOY's intelligence score, which blends verified deployments, safety, adoption, media, and IP signals, Tianzhou ranks in roughly the top 17% of space models tracked by the registry.
- What is Tianzhou's maturity stage?
- Tianzhou is at the production stage on the DEPLOY maturity ladder (research, prototype, pilot, commercial, production). Production stage means high-volume manufacture and commercial-scale deployments are sustained.
- Is Tianzhou safe?
- Tianzhou has no incidents on record in the DEPLOY registry. This does not constitute a safety guarantee; it reflects the incidents DEPLOY has tracked and verified to date.
Methodology: Verified · 2 sources (no primary) · last reviewed 2026-07-12
Verification posture
Verified
Low confidence
Review state
Stable
Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Maturity + lifecycle
Maturity stage: production
Lifecycle: active
Architectural position
Cohort: space
Sources by quality tier
- 1
- unclassified
- Unclassified source
- 1
- knowledge-base
- Knowledge base
The framework is documented at /methodology. Corrections at /corrections. Reviewer: DEPLOY editorial team.
Methodology surface for Tianzhou.Recent coverage
Tianzhou in third-party press
Attention vs reality over time
Media mentions per month (area) against verified deployment events (dots). A press spike over a flat deployment line is the hype gap, drawn over time.
In the press
Recent coverage mentioning Tianzhou from third-party publications. Automatically surfaced; not part of the verified registry record.
Cargo spacecraft to help advance space research - China Daily - Global Edition
<a…
China launches Tianzhou-10 cargo craft to send space station supplies - CCTV.com English
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China's cargo craft Tianzhou 10 docks with space station Tiangong - China Daily
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China launches robotic cargo mission to space station - China Daily - Global Edition
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Tianzhou 9 departs Tiangong, prepares for Earth reentry - China Daily
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Tianzhou 9 embarks on cargo mission to Tiangong - China Daily
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China's Tianzhou 7 robotic cargo spaceship launched - chinadailyhk
<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiWkFVX3lxTFBJNkNjeF9yMzdzT3A5R2lhdnhSY3ZLQ1J6VERZZTNTWGRqX19aV0RVU1owMlVsX085ZndRZEFiWF9FWVF0YWx4OUI2dTBBb2NhQ1NFMFN2SGVuUQ?oc=5"…
First trip this year to space station ready - China Daily
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Tianzhou 6 cargo spacecraft to return to Earth - ecns.cn
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Tianzhou 5 spacecraft burns up on Earth reentry - chinadailyhk
<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiWkFVX3lxTE9vNXBINW93YXV4LVIxOEphbHBvaDQ4WDBlOXNXejVzR1c0QTltdjU2c1Jjd1lsQ1FGMFFGSUR1b1hLN1d4TU84QVozeGwtSlVQQmNpaHlsYllmZw?oc=5"…
China’s Space Station: Moving Towards Utilizing the Orbiting Outpost - SpaceRef
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Two crews set for Tiangong station in '23 - China Daily - Global Edition
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Machine-readable surfaces
- Markdown mirror: /models/tianzhou.md
- JSON-LD: embedded in this page’s head
- REST API: /v1/models/523c22cf-3ef8-40a7-aa1c-0846b93d090f
- Revision history: /models/tianzhou/history
- Data documentation: /data
- Query this programmatically: Deploy MCP
Reality vs attention
Tianzhou draws attention at the 78th percentile but verifies reality at the 76th percentile among space robots. Hype Gap +1.7, 11th widest among space robots.
6-month trend
Analysis
Thin deployment record; scale validation still in progress.
Signal flags
Dimension breakdown
Verified signal
Attention (reach, not merit)
DEPLOY Intelligence scores are computed from verified registry data: confirmed deployments, disclosed funding rounds, regulatory filings, active job listings, video viewership, and press coverage. Confidence ratings reflect data availability. Scores update nightly.
DEPLOY Indices — verified vs claimed
Last computed: Jul 21, 2026