“It is very important for Pakistan"
A Pakistani astronaut will soon become the first foreign national to board China’s Tiangong space station, marking a historic moment in international space cooperation.
The mission, expected to launch as early as 2026, represents a deepening of space ties between Beijing and Islamabad as China expands its diplomatic and technological influence in orbit.
Since beginning operations in 2021, Tiangong has only hosted Chinese astronauts.
This mission, the first to include a foreign crew member, signals what China calls the internationalisation of its space station.
Quentin Parker, an astrophysicist at the University of Hong Kong, said:
“When you internationalise things properly, you build something greater than the sum of the parts, and that’s true in the internationalisation of the space station.”
The Pakistani astronaut, who has yet to be selected, will serve as a payload specialist responsible for conducting scientific experiments and managing daily tasks during the stay in space.
Amjad Ali, deputy director of Pakistan’s national space agency SUPARCO, described the mission as a milestone for his country’s space ambitions.
He said: “It is very important for Pakistan, being the first foreign country whose astronauts are entertained by China and taken by the Chinese mission.”
Pakistan is currently compiling a shortlist of five to ten candidates for the mission.
China will narrow that list down to two individuals, who will undergo training in China for between six months and a year.
One astronaut will fly to Tiangong, while the other will remain as a reserve.
The final selection is expected to be made in the coming months, with a launch date possible as early as October next year.
This mission builds on existing space cooperation between the two countries.
In 2024, Pakistan sent a satellite to the Moon aboard a Chinese lunar explorer, alongside payloads from the European Space Agency, France and Italy.
In February, China and Pakistan signed a formal agreement on space collaboration, laying the groundwork for Wednesday’s announcement.
The move also reflects broader strategic cooperation between the two nations.
China has made significant investments in Pakistani infrastructure under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, part of its global Belt and Road Initiative.
Projects include roads, energy facilities and the development of the port city of Gwadar.
This week, a delegation from Chinese space firm Galaxy Space met with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to discuss investment opportunities.
According to a statement from Sharif’s office, the delegation expressed “keen interest in investing in Pakistan’s space technology industry and joint ventures with Pakistani space technology institutions and private telecom companies”.
Sharif described China as “our most reliable friend and strategic partner” and said Pakistan was “looking to increase cooperation with China in the fields of space technology, space satellites and satellite internet”.
Amer Gilani, who leads human spaceflight cooperation at SUPARCO, said the final experiments to be conducted aboard Tiangong are still being selected, but would have “high scientific, industrial and social impact”.
The mission represents a revival of Pakistan’s space programme, which dates back more than 60 years but has only recently regained government attention.
Meanwhile, China has signed around 200 international agreements on space cooperation.
These include satellite development, manned space missions and lunar exploration.
On April 24, the China National Space Administration announced it had approved the release of lunar samples from a previous Chinese mission to seven institutions across six countries, including Pakistan.
Parker said China’s openness to space partnerships is a crucial step forward.
He said: “The way that things are in the world at the moment is increasingly complex but it’s important that this outreach and collaborative spirit is maintained.”
For China, this mission strengthens its role as a leader in space exploration and diplomacy. For Pakistan, it could be the beginning of a new chapter in its long but underdeveloped space journey.
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