China is preparing to welcome a Pakistani astronaut aboard its Tiangong space station, marking a historic milestone as Pakistan is set to become the first foreign country to send an astronaut to the Chinese orbital facility.
According to China’s Manned Space Agency, a Pakistani astronaut will join the Shenzhou-24 crewed mission as a payload specialist. The astronaut will become the first foreign national to visit China’s space station and participate in its crewed space programme.
The mission is part of growing space cooperation between Pakistan and China under an agreement signed in February 2025. Under the agreement, China agreed to help Pakistan select and train astronauts for its first human spaceflight mission.
Two Pakistani candidates, Muhammad Zeeshan Ali and Khurram Daud, have undergone training at China’s astronaut training centre in Beijing. They have received instruction in spacecraft operations, Chinese language, microgravity adaptation and other essential spaceflight skills.
The Chinese space agency has not yet officially announced which candidate will take part in the mission or confirmed the launch date.The selected astronaut will serve as a payload specialist, meaning the primary responsibility will be conducting scientific experiments rather than operating the spacecraft.
The mission will include Pakistani scientific research, particularly experiments related to biotechnology, food security and climate change.The astronaut is expected to spend a short period aboard the Tiangong space station before returning to Earth aboard the Shenzhou-23 spacecraft.
The development represents a major achievement for Pakistan’s space programme and strengthens scientific cooperation between Islamabad and Beijing. It is also expected to encourage young Pakistanis to pursue careers in science, technology and space exploration.
