Pakistan could soon make history in space exploration. A Pakistani astronaut is expected to join China's Shenzhou 24 mission, potentially becoming the first foreign national to visit China's Tiangong space station. The announcement marks a significant milestone for Pakistan's growing space ambitions and its partnership with China.
According to China's state-run Xinhua news agency, the Pakistani astronaut will take part in a short-duration space mission before returning to Earth aboard the Shenzhou 23 spacecraft. The launch date, however, has not yet been announced.
If completed as planned, the mission will mark the first time a foreign astronaut has participated in China's human spaceflight programme.
The journey towards this milestone began earlier this year when two Pakistani astronaut candidates, Muhammad Zeeshan Ali and Khurram Daud, started training alongside Chinese astronauts.
Both candidates have been preparing for the demanding mission, with one expected to be selected as a payload specialist.
Their training includes practical spaceflight operations, technical exercises and intensive Chinese language lessons. Communication skills are particularly important when working with an international crew in the challenging environment of space. The selection will determine which Pakistani candidate gets the opportunity to represent the country on this historic mission.
The planned mission is part of a space cooperation agreement signed between Pakistan and China in February 2025. For Pakistan, participation in China's space programme could open new opportunities for astronaut training, scientific research and technological development. It also reflects the growing cooperation between the two countries in the field of space exploration.
China is also preparing for an ambitious goal: sending astronauts to the Moon by 2030. Meanwhile, the United States remains its biggest competitor in space exploration, with NASA targeting a crewed lunar landing in 2028. As both countries push ahead with their lunar ambitions, international partnerships are becoming increasingly important.
For Pakistan, however, the immediate milestone is much closer to home. Having one of its astronauts travel to China's space station would be a proud moment for the country's scientific community and a major step towards a greater role in human space exploration.
The countdown to a potentially historic Pakistani space journey has begun.
