Islamabad: A Pakistani astronaut will join China's Shenzhou 24 mission to the Tiangong space station, becoming the first foreign national to visit the facility, Chinese authorities announced on Saturday.
According to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV, citing the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA), the Pakistani astronaut will serve as a payload specialist, marking the first joint spaceflight involving Chinese and foreign astronauts in China's crewed space programme.
The mission is planned for 2026, although Chinese authorities have not announced a confirmed launch date or identified the astronaut selected for the flight.
Two Pakistani pilots undergo training in China
Pakistan and China signed an astronaut cooperation agreement in Islamabad in February 2025, establishing a programme for selecting and training Pakistani astronauts for missions aboard the Tiangong space station.
Under the agreement, two Pakistani pilots, Muhammad Zeeshan Ali and Khurram Daud, were selected following a three stage evaluation process.
Both have spent months training at the China Astronaut Research and Training Centre in Beijing, where their preparation includes spacecraft operations, technical procedures and Chinese language instruction.
One of the candidates will participate in the mission, while the other will serve as a backup astronaut.
Chinese authorities have not publicly confirmed which candidate will join the flight.
Astronaut to return aboard Shenzhou 23
The Pakistani astronaut will travel to Tiangong aboard Shenzhou 24 before returning to Earth aboard the Shenzhou 23 spacecraft after a short stay in orbit.
As a payload specialist, the astronaut will participate in scientific experiments and research activities aboard the station.
The mission will make Pakistan the first country to send a foreign astronaut to Tiangong, which has hosted only Chinese crews since it became operational.
Pakistan and China expand space cooperation
The development follows growing cooperation between Pakistan's Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) and Chinese space authorities.
In April 2026, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met the two Pakistani astronaut candidates and congratulated them on their selection for training.
The mission forms part of broader scientific and technological cooperation between the two countries, including satellite development and space research.
China is also working towards its first crewed lunar landing by 2030.
For Pakistan, participation in Shenzhou 24 will provide an opportunity to develop expertise in human spaceflight and conduct scientific research aboard an operational space station.
The next announcements are expected to identify the astronaut selected for the mission and confirm the launch schedule.
