Pakistani astronaut to join China’s next space-station mission — SkimNews
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- CMSA said on Nov. 7 that a Pakistani astronaut will become the first foreigner to visit Tiangong when the person joins China’s next mission into orbit.
- Shenzhou-24 will carry Pakistan’s first astronaut, a payload specialist, on a short orbital flight; the mission is expected by the end of 2026, although no departure date was announced.
- Shenzhou-23, which docked at Tiangong in May, is the spacecraft designated to return the Pakistani astronaut after the short orbital flight.
- Pakistan and China signed a February 2025 agreement establishing a Chinese government training program for Pakistani astronauts.
- Muhammad Zeeshan Ali and Khurram Daud were selected in April to begin training in China, but CMSA has not named the astronaut who will fly.
- Xinhua reported that the 2025 deal provides for trained Pakistani astronauts to undertake short-term missions with Chinese counterparts over the next few years.
Why it matters: The February 2025 training deal now has a concrete mission attached: a Pakistani payload specialist is assigned to Shenzhou-24, with the flight targeted for no later than 2026. The announcement makes Tiangong the first Chinese station to host a foreign astronaut, while the wider agreement covers additional short-term missions with Chinese counterparts.
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