Pakistani Astronaut to Fly to Chinese Space Station
Key Takeaways:
i) China and Pakistan have signed an agreement for a joint space mission.
ii) A Pakistani astronaut will be the first foreign astronaut to visit the Chinese space station.
iii) This collaboration highlights the deepening space cooperation between the two countries.
Money Matters Monitoring Desk – April 10, 2025 – China and Pakistan are set to collaborate on a space mission, marking a significant milestone in their partnership. A Pakistani astronaut will journey to the Chinese Tiangong Space Station, the first time China has selected and trained astronauts from a foreign country.
China and Pakistan have officially agreed to a collaborative space mission that will see a Pakistani astronaut journey to the Chinese Tiangong Space Station. This marks a significant milestone, as it will be the first time China has selected and trained astronauts from a foreign country. The news analysis of this development appeared on Space.com, authored by Julian Dossett.
The agreement, formally titled “Cooperation Agreement on the Selection, Training of Pakistani Astronauts and Participation in China’s Space Station Flight Mission,” was signed on February 28 by representatives from the China Manned Space Engineering Office (CMSE) and the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO).
According to CMSE, “the signing of this agreement marks the first time that the Chinese government will select and train astronauts for foreign countries, and the Chinese space station will welcome the first foreign astronaut to visit.”
The selection process for the Pakistani astronaut is expected to take approximately one year, after which the chosen candidate will travel to China for extensive training. Following the training, Pakistani and Chinese astronauts will together embark on short-duration missions to the Tiangong space station over the next few years.
Pakistan commenced its space program in 1961, and the Space & Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) was entrusted with the responsibility of overseeing its development. SUPARCO was the first space program in the Muslim world.
China’s Tiangong Space Station has been operational since 2022, orbiting Earth at an altitude of 217 to 280 miles (340 to 450 kilometers). The first crew to inhabit the station, Shenzhou 12, launched in 2021 when only the core module was in orbit.
Pakistan commenced its space program in 1961, and the Space & Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) was entrusted with the responsibility of overseeing its development. SUPARCO was the first space program in the Muslim world. Despite an early start, Pakistan’s progress in space has been slow due to various reasons, including insufficient funding. However, cooperation with China has provided a significant boost to Pakistan’s space ambitions.
