In a landmark development for Pakistan’s space ambitions, the China Manned Space Engineering Office (CMSEO) and the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) on Friday signed a cooperation agreement for the flight of a Pakistani astronaut to China’s space station.
Under the agreement, the Chinese government will select and train a group of Pakistani astronauts, with one set to become the first foreign astronaut to enter the Chinese space station.
The selection process is expected to last approximately one year. Selected candidates will undergo comprehensive and systematic training in China before participating in short-term spaceflight missions alongside Chinese astronauts aboard the Tiangong space station in the coming years.
The agreement was signed at the Prime Minister’s House in the presence of Shehbaz Sharif. Lin Xiqiang, Deputy Director of CMSEO, and Muhammad Yousuf Khan, Chairman of SUPARCO, formally signed the document.
Officials described the agreement as a historic milestone in Pakistan-China space cooperation, paving the way for technological collaboration, astronaut training, and expanded scientific research opportunities in space exploration.