The mission would mark a major milestone for Pakistan’s space programme and make the country the first foreign participant to send an astronaut to China’s space station. According to Reuters, pilots Muhammad Zeeshan Ali and Khurram Daud have been training at the China Astronaut Research and Training Center in Beijing.
Pakistani Pilots Undergo Intensive Space Training
The two pilots have spent months preparing for the demanding mission. Their training includes learning Mandarin, operating spacecraft systems, handling high gravitational forces and adapting to conditions of weightlessness.
They were selected from an initial group of Pakistani pilots and scientists. The final astronaut is expected to be selected in mid-to-late October 2026, according to Pakistan’s space agency, SUPARCO.
The astronaut chosen for the mission will serve as a payload specialist, focusing on Pakistan’s scientific experiments while aboard the space station rather than operating the spacecraft itself.
Pakistan-China Space Cooperation Expands
The planned mission is part of growing space cooperation between Pakistan and China. The partnership has already included Chinese launches of Pakistani satellites, cooperation on satellite navigation and plans for a Pakistani-built rover that is expected to participate in China’s Chang’e-8 lunar mission around 2028.
Pakistan and China also formally expressed support for sending a Pakistani astronaut to the Chinese space station in a joint statement issued in May 2026. The two countries said they would continue developing space cooperation on a peaceful and mutually beneficial basis.
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A Historic Step for Pakistan
If the mission proceeds as planned, the Pakistani astronaut is expected to spend about a week aboard Tiangong. The journey would represent Pakistan’s first human spaceflight and a significant new chapter in the country’s space exploration efforts.
For Pakistan, the mission also highlights the expanding role of international cooperation in developing astronaut training, scientific research and space technology.
Source: Reuters, September 28, 2026.
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