Pakistan astronaut to soon join China’s Tiangong space station becoming the first foreign visitor there.
China-Pakistan space cooperation is rapidly advancing, with China’s Tiangong space station recently hosting the Shenzhou 20 spacecraft, which launched on April 24. This milestone will soon be followed by the arrival of a Pakistani astronaut, marking a historic first in the long-standing China-Pakistan partnership.
The Shenzhou 20 mission, launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, successfully docked with the Tiangong Space Station.
The launch of Shenzhou 20 and the ongoing development of the Tiangong Space Station highlight the growing Sino-Pakistani space cooperation, which was reinforced by the strong bilateral ties between the two nations, as reported by Gwadar Pro on Tuesday.
China’s manned space program follows principles focused on peaceful use, mutual benefit, and shared progress, and its partnership with Pakistan serves as a model for broader international cooperation, inspiring more countries to join in.
While the world is celebrating the success of the Shenzhou 20 mission, Pakistan is also enthusiastically following its progress, celebrating each phase of development, from the takeoff to the spacecraft’s docking with Tiangong.
The Shenzhou-20 crewed mission carried three Chinese astronauts: Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui, and Wang Jie. Chen Dong, the mission commander, will oversee the replacement of three astronauts currently aboard the Chinese space station. They will remain in space for approximately six months, similar to the last crew that arrived in October and has been aboard Tiangong for 175 days.
The planned inclusion of a Pakistani astronaut in an upcoming international mission represents a significant milestone for Pakistan’s space program.
In 2026, a Pakistani astronaut will participate in a mission to China’s Tiangong space station, marking an important step in the China-Pakistan Space Cooperation.
This development follows the signing of a major agreement between China and Pakistan in late February, which laid the groundwork for the inclusion of Pakistani astronauts in Chinese space missions.
The selection process for Pakistani astronauts is currently underway and will involve three stages: preliminary, secondary, and final selection. The preliminary process is being conducted in Pakistan, while the remaining stages will take place in China. Two candidates will ultimately be chosen for training in Chinese facilities.
One of the selected Pakistani astronauts will participate as a payload specialist in a joint spaceflight mission. Apart from performing standard crew duties, this astronaut will conduct scientific experiments for Pakistan.
The inclusion of a Pakistani astronaut in an international mission underscores a significant achievement in Pakistan’s space ambitions and its goal to enhance scientific and technological collaboration with China.
This agreement marks the first time that China will select and train astronauts from foreign countries. The Pakistani astronaut will be the first foreigner to train in China and will be the first to visit China’s space station.
The “Cooperation Agreement on the Selection, Training of Pakistani Astronauts and Participation in China’s Space Station Flight Mission” was signed on February 28 between the China Manned Space Engineering Office (CMSE) and the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO).
Prime Minister Sharif has described China as Pakistan’s “most reliable and strategic partner” and envisions Beijing as a key partner in Pakistan’s space technology sector.
In the past decade, China and Pakistan have signed several agreements across various domains, including satellite research and development, launch services, and the construction of ground stations. From 2019 to 2024, they signed 12 cooperation agreements, with the CubeSat project being just one of the joint ventures enhancing Pakistan’s space program.
Beyond lunar missions, China-Pakistan space cooperation has greatly impacted communication and remote sensing in Pakistan, with major projects such as the Comsat-1R, Remote Sensing Satellite-1, and the Multi-Mission Communications Satellite launched in 2024.
The partnership between the two countries extends beyond technology to include knowledge sharing and the development of talent. Over the past five years, China has trained over 200 Pakistani space professionals and set up three joint research and development centers.
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