China’s Human Space Agency has announced that two Pakistani astronauts will train alongside Chinese counterparts, with one expected to join a short-duration mission aboard China’s space station.
According to China’s state news agency Xinhua, one of the Pakistani astronauts will be selected as a payload specialist to participate in the upcoming short-term space mission.
Under an agreement signed in February this year, the selection process for Pakistani astronauts will be completed by 2026, after which they will join China’s next human spaceflight mission. The initiative stems from a collaboration between Pakistan’s space research organization, SUPARCO, and China’s Manned Space Agency.
China’s space station, named Tiangong, meaning “Heavenly Palace,” will host Pakistan’s first national astronaut mission. During this mission, a range of scientific experiments will be conducted, including biological and medical sciences, aerospace engineering, applied physics, fluid mechanics, space radiation, environmental studies, material science, microgravity research, and astronomy.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, during the signing of the Pakistan-China agreement, stated that Pakistan’s participation in China’s space station program reflects the depth of bilateral relations and marks a significant step toward advancing joint scientific and peaceful space exploration.
Over recent years, cooperation between Pakistan and China in science and technology has expanded notably, with several Pakistani satellites launched into orbit from Chinese facilities.
According to SUPARCO, Pakistan’s current satellites remain limited to low-Earth orbits, but participation in China’s Tiangong mission will significantly advance the nation’s scientific and technological capabilities in space research.
