A Pakistani astronaut is set to make history by joining China’s Shenzhou-24 mission to the Tiangong space station, becoming the first foreign astronaut to visit the Chinese orbital outpost.
Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said the Pakistani crew member will participate in the mission as a payload specialist under an agreement between Pakistan and China.
The China Manned Space Agency has not yet publicly identified which Pakistani astronaut will make the journey.
However, Pakistani pilots Zeeshan Ali and Khurram Daud have spent months undergoing training at the China Astronaut Research and Training Center in Beijing.
BPI News has contacted both astronauts and the Pakistani government seeking an update and confirmation of which candidate has been selected for the mission.
Pakistani Astronaut To Serve As Payload Specialist
The selected astronaut will fly aboard Shenzhou-24 alongside Chinese crew members and work as a payload specialist during the mission.
Payload specialists typically focus on scientific experiments, research equipment and other mission-specific work rather than the piloting or operation of the spacecraft itself.
According to Chinese state media, the Pakistani astronaut will spend a shorter period aboard the Tiangong station than the main Chinese crew.
After completing the planned work in orbit, the astronaut is expected to return to Earth aboard the Shenzhou-23 spacecraft, which will already be docked with the station.
Zeeshan Ali And Khurram Daud Trained In Beijing
Pakistan has not publicly confirmed whether Zeeshan Ali or Khurram Daud has secured the seat.
Both pilots have been training in China as part of preparations for Pakistan’s first crewed space mission.
Their training has taken place at the China Astronaut Research and Training Center in Beijing, where Chinese astronauts undergo preparation for missions to the Tiangong station.
One of the two is expected to become the first Pakistani to travel into space.
First Foreign Astronaut At Tiangong
The mission will also represent a significant milestone for China’s space programme because no foreign astronaut has previously visited the Tiangong space station.
China has operated Tiangong as a permanently crewed orbital station since completing its main construction in 2022.
Until now, its crews have consisted exclusively of Chinese astronauts.
Shenzhou-24 will therefore mark the first joint spaceflight involving Chinese and foreign astronauts in the history of China’s crewed space programme.
Pakistan-China Space Cooperation
Pakistan’s participation forms part of expanding space cooperation between Islamabad and Beijing, with the programme also being presented within the broader framework of cooperation under China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
China and Pakistan have previously worked together on satellite launches and other space-related projects, but sending a Pakistani astronaut into orbit would represent a significant expansion of that relationship.
The mission would also make Pakistan one of a relatively small number of countries to have sent one of its citizens into space.
Launch Date Not Yet Announced
China has not yet announced when Shenzhou-24 will launch.
Further details are expected to include the full crew, mission objectives, scientific experiments and the duration of the Pakistani astronaut’s stay aboard Tiangong.
BPI News is awaiting responses from Zeeshan Ali, Khurram Daud and the Pakistani government regarding the selection process and the identity of the astronaut who will fly.
