China Selects First Ever Pakistani Astronaut for Next Space Mission
History will be created in space exploration as a Pakistani astronaut will join China's Shenzhou-24 crewed spaceflight mission as a payload specialist.
History will be created in space exploration as a Pakistani astronaut will join China's Shenzhou-24 crewed spaceflight mission as a payload specialist.
Article outline
- What happened
- What comes next
- The bottom line
Key points
- Both were selected after a three-stage assessment process under a cooperation agreement signed between Pakistan and China in Islamabad in February 2025.
- Importers and Manufacturers Face New Rules for Wireless Equipment in Pakistan.
- The astronaut will undertake a short stay in orbit before returning to Earth aboard the Shenzhou-23 spacecraft.
- The newly unveiled Shenzhou-24 mission emblem additionally carries a special Pakistani connection.
- While the other will remain available as a backup, one will participate in the mission.
Meanwhile, the China Manned Space Agency confirmed on November 7, 2026, that a Pakistani astronaut would participate in the mission, making the individual the first foreign national to visit China's Tiangong space station. Importers and Manufacturers Face New Rules for Wireless Equipment in Pakistan.
Meanwhile, the astronaut will undertake a short stay in orbit before returning to Earth aboard the Shenzhou-23 spacecraft. The mission will additionally mark the first joint spaceflight involving Chinese and foreign astronauts in the history of China's crewed space program.
Although China has not publicly identified the astronaut, two Pakistani candidates, Muhammad Zeeshan Ali and Khurram Daud, have undergone months of training at China's astronaut training centre in Beijing.
For context, the newly unveiled Shenzhou-24 mission emblem additionally carries a special Pakistani connection. Pakistan's national flower jasmine has been incorporated into the SZ-24 design. Stay Connected with ProPakistani.
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Taken together, the developments around china Selects First Ever Pakistani Astronaut for Next Space Mission point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.
