In a first, Pakistani astronaut will become the first foreigner to visit China's space station when they join the country's next mission into orbit, Beijing's manned space agency said on Saturday (Nov 7). This comes after Pakistan and China signed a deal in February 2025 setting up a Chinese government training programme for Pakistani astronauts. According to China Manned Space Agency (CMSA), the Pakistani astronaut will take off with the Shenzhou-24 crew. The statement did not give a date of departure, but the mission is expected to take place by the end of the year.
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The Pakistani astronaut who will join the Chinese crew will be a payload specialist, an will join a short orbital flight before returning with the Shenzhou-23 spaceship, which docked at the Tiangong space station in May, according to the CMSA. The agency did not name the Pakistani crew member, but said in April that astronauts Muhammad Zeeshan Ali and Khurram Daud had been chosen to start training in China. Both pilots underwent intensive Mandarin language instruction so they can seamlessly communicate with the Chinese crew and navigate the spacecraft’s completely Chinese-language interface. The candidates endured high-G centrifuge drills to simulate the immense gravitational forces experienced during launch and re-entry. Their curriculum at the Beijing facility included mastering microgravity protocols, practicing routine station maintenance, and learning how to eat, sleep, and move weightlessly inside the Tiangong space station.
Beijing has invested heavily in its space programme in recent years -- catching up with its main rival the United States -- and aims to land astronauts on the Moon by 2030. Under the 2025 deal, following training in China, the Pakistani astronauts will carry out short-term missions with Chinese counterparts over the "next few years", Beijing's state news agency Xinhua reported at the time.
