In a groundbreaking development for bilateral space cooperation, China has announced it will train two Pakistani astronauts, with one of them set to join a future joint space mission as a payload specialist aboard the Tiangong Space Station.
This initiative marks a significant milestone in the deepening technological and scientific collaboration between China and Pakistan.
A spokesperson for the China space agency CMSA confirmed the development on Wednesday, stating that this is the first time the Chinese government will extend astronaut training to a foreign country. The announcement follows the signing of a landmark agreement between the China CMSE and Pakistan’s national space agency, the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO).
The agreement, officially titled the “Cooperation Agreement on the Selection, Training of Pakistani Astronauts and Participation in China’s Space Station Flight Mission,” was signed on February 28 in Islamabad. The signing ceremony was attended by CMSE Deputy Director Lin Xiqiang and Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission Chairman Mohammad Yousaf Khan.
Under the agreement, Pakistan will begin the selection process for its astronauts, which is expected to take approximately one year. The selected candidates will then travel to China for extensive spaceflight training. This will prepare them for potential short-duration missions aboard the Tiangong Space Station in collaboration with Chinese astronauts.
The Tiangong Space Station, which has been fully operational since 2022, orbits Earth at an altitude ranging between 340 to 450 kilometers. With this partnership, Pakistan becomes the first country to send an astronaut to the Chinese space station, underscoring the growing trust and cooperation in high-tech fields between the two allies.
This joint mission is seen as a major leap forward in Pakistan’s space ambitions and a symbol of the enduring strategic partnership between China and Pakistan, particularly in the realm of scientific and technological innovation.