rki.news | Sources Dawn/Reuters
BEIJING — Pakistan is preparing to send its first astronaut into space aboard China’s Tiangong space station, with a final selection expected in mid-to-late October.
Pakistani pilots Zeeshan Ali and Khurram Daud have been undergoing months of training at the China Astronaut Research and Training Center in Beijing. One will be selected for the mission, which was jointly conceived by Pakistan and China in 2019.
The selected astronaut will become the first foreign astronaut transported by China and will serve as a “payload specialist,” conducting Pakistani scientific experiments aboard the station.
Training includes Mandarin language instruction, spacecraft systems, centrifuge exercises and preparation for microgravity conditions.
Pakistan’s space agency Suparco received more than 300 proposals from universities for the mission. Chinese institutes selected four biotechnology experiments focused on food security and climate-related challenges.
The mission is expected to last about one week. Pakistan does not currently have an independent crewed spacecraft or launch vehicle and will rely on China for the launch, spacecraft and astronaut training.
The mission forms part of broader Pakistan-China space cooperation, which includes satellites, navigation technology and a Pakistani-built rover planned for China’s Chang’e 8 lunar mission around 2028.
Suparco officials described the planned flight as a significant opportunity for Pakistani scientists and space research.
Pakistan Nears Historic First Astronaut Mission with China
