One will be selected payload specialist, becoming first foreign astronaut to visit Chinese space station<\/p>\n
SUPARCO introduces space bus to reach out to students in remote areas. PHOTO: FILE <\/p>\n
China has \u200bselected two Pakistani \u200castronauts,\u00a0Muhammad Zeeshan Ali and Khurram Daud, as candidates for \u200bits manned \u200bspace programme, \u2060CCTV <\/em>\u200breported on Wednesday.\u00a0<\/p>\n Both \u200bwill travel to China for training, \u200band \u200bone will participate in \u200ca \u2060flight mission as a payload specialist \u200band \u200bbecome \u2060the first foreign astronaut \u200bin China’s \u200bspace \u2060station, CCTV <\/em>said.<\/p>\n “Upon completing all training courses and passing relevant assessments, one of them will be selected for a mission crew as a payload specialist to participate in a spaceflight, becoming the first foreign astronaut to visit the Chinese space station,” the statement said as per China Daily<\/em>.<\/p>\n The information ministry also announced the selection of the candidates in an X post, terming it a “landmark advancement in Pakistan’s Manned Space Mission Programme”.<\/p>\n The Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) announces a landmark advancement in Pakistan\u2019s Manned Space Mission Program as two Astronaut Candidates, Khurram Daud and Muhammad Zeeshan Ali are set to depart for the People\u2019s Republic of China to begin advanced\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/Nfl5WBGOdO<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (@MoIB_Official) April 22, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n Daud and\u00a0Ali are set to depart for China to begin advanced astronaut training at the Astronaut Centre of China (ACC), the ministry said. It added, “This is a significant step forward in Pakistan\u2019s space exploration journey that positions the country in the community of a select group of nations actively engaged in human spaceflight programs.”<\/p>\n Under the collaboration, the post read, “Pakistan is preparing for its first-ever participation in a mission to the China Space Station (CSS),” adding that the mission is planned for launch in late 2026.<\/p>\n Aboard the CSS, “the Pakistani astronaut will conduct several scientific experiments in microgravity,” which span areas including material science, fluid physics, life and bio science, and biotechnology, the ministry revealed. This, it added, brings potential applications for climate resilience, food security, and industrial innovation.<\/p>\n\n