Pakistani astronaut to become first foreign national aboard Chinese space station

A Pakistani astronaut will become the first foreign national to travel to China’s Tiangong space station, seen as part of Beijing’s space diplomacy amid intensifying competition with the United States for dominance in orbit.

The mission, for which the astronaut has not yet been selected, strengthens already close space cooperation between Beijing and Islamabad. Last year, Pakistan launched its satellite aboard China’s lunar probe alongside payloads from the European Space Agency, France, and Italy, according to Chinese state media.

Tiangong is one of only two operational space stations, alongside the International Space Station (ISS), which launched in 1998. Since its activation in 2021, Tiangong has hosted only Chinese astronauts.

“This mission marks a significant step in the internationalization of China’s space station,” said Quentin Parker, an astrophysicist and professor at the University of Hong Kong.

During a press conference on Wednesday, the China Manned Space Agency announced that the selected astronaut will serve as a payload specialist, managing daily tasks and conducting scientific experiments for Pakistan.

Amjad Ali, deputy director of Pakistan’s space agency SUPARCO, called the announcement a milestone for the country, whose government is renewing its interest in the 60-year-old space program.

“This is very important for Pakistan, as we become the first country whose astronaut is accepted and sent to space by China,” he told Reuters.

According to Ali, Pakistan will propose a shortlist of 5 to 10 candidates within a month. China will then select two.

These candidates will undergo six months to a year of training in China, with one of them expected to fly to space in October 2026, while the other will serve as a backup. Read 'Zamin' on Telegram!