China has quietly deployed a new crew member aboard its Tiangong space station—an AI chatbot named Wukong.
Built from a domestic large language model, Wukong is designed to handle navigation data, mission planning, and even astronaut morale. Its first real test came last month, when it supported taikonauts during a six-hour spacewalk.
Key Takeaways
- China installs Wukong AI chatbot on Tiangong space station.
- First in-orbit mission: assisting astronauts during a six-hour spacewalk.
- AI trained on aerospace data to improve safety and navigation.
- Combines onboard and ground-based modules for real-time support.
- Part of China’s long-term push for lunar and deep-space readiness.
China has introduced Wukong AI, a chatbot installed on its Tiangong space station to support astronauts with navigation, fault management, and coordination. The system, based on a domestic AI model, completed its first mission in July by helping taikonauts during a six-hour spacewalk, marking China’s first in-orbit use of a large language model.
Wukong Joins China’s Space Station Crew
China has added an unusual new member to its Tiangong space station: an AI chatbot named Wukong, after the mythical Monkey King from Journey to the West. The system went live in mid-July and has already supported its first spacewalk, according to reports from Xinhua (Xinhua, July 2025).
An AI Built for Space, Not Earth
Unlike consumer chatbots such as ChatGPT or Gemini, Wukong was trained specifically for spaceflight. Engineers developed it from a domestic open-source model and tuned it with aerospace navigation data. “This system can provide rapid and effective information support for complex operations and fault handling by crew members,” said Zou Pengfei of China’s Astronaut Training Center (Xinhua, July 2025).
Chinese media describe Wukong as a two-part assistant: one module runs directly on the station, while another processes deeper queries on Earth. This hybrid setup allows the AI to quickly respond to urgent crew questions while still tapping into ground-based analysis when needed.
Supporting the First Mission
On July 15, Wukong was connected to Tiangong. A month later, it helped three taikonauts during a six-and-a-half-hour spacewalk, where they installed debris shields and performed a safety inspection. Crew members reported the AI’s answers were “comprehensive” and useful in managing time-sensitive tasks.
One anecdote shared by state media: during a moment of equipment adjustment, a taikonaut asked Wukong to cross-check flight data. The system’s rapid response reassured the team and helped streamline the procedure.
Why It Matters
China is betting big on AI as a force multiplier in human spaceflight. Beyond speeding up decision-making, tools like Wukong may help reduce astronaut stress, increase autonomy from Earth, and make missions safer. As China eyes future moon bases and Mars missions, an AI assistant that learns and adapts in orbit could become indispensable.
Numbers to Watch
- 6.5 hours — Wukong’s first spacewalk support mission.
- 1 month — Time between installation (July 15) and first use.
- 30 years — China’s stated plan for Tiangong’s operational role as a stepping-stone to the Moon.
What’s Next
- Expansion of Wukong’s database for lunar and Mars missions.
- Possible psychological-support role, similar to ISS’s CIMON robot.
- Upgrades for real-time fault detection and predictive maintenance.
- Tiangong expansion into a logistics hub between Earth and the Moon.
Conclusion
China’s Wukong AI is more than just a chatbot in space—it’s a signpost for where human–AI collaboration is headed. If it can help astronauts survive and thrive in orbit, imagine what similar systems could do for future moon bases or Mars outposts. The question is: will the next “crew member” humanity sends into deep space be made of flesh—or code?