A Pakistani astronaut is set to become the first foreign national to visit China’s Tiangong space station, joining the crew of an upcoming mission into orbit, the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) announced on Saturday.
The astronaut will travel aboard the Shenzhou-24 mission as a payload specialist, marking a new stage in space cooperation between Pakistan and China. The agency did not announce a launch date or identify the astronaut, but the mission is expected to take place before the end of the year.
According to the CMSA, the Pakistani crew member will take part in a short orbital flight before returning to Earth aboard the Shenzhou-23 spacecraft, which docked with the Tiangong space station in May.
The announcement follows a training agreement signed by Pakistan and China in February 2025. Under the arrangement, Pakistani astronauts were selected to undergo training in China and eventually participate in missions alongside Chinese crews.
In April, Beijing announced that Muhammad Zeeshan Ali and Khurram Daud had been selected to begin astronaut training. The latest statement did not confirm which of the two would take part in the upcoming flight.
China’s state news agency Xinhua reported when the agreement was signed that Pakistani astronauts would undertake short-term missions with Chinese counterparts over the following years after completing their training.
The planned flight will make Pakistan the first country outside China to send an astronaut to the Tiangong station. It also represents a significant development in the two countries’ longstanding diplomatic and strategic relationship.
Pakistan and China frequently describe their relationship as an “all-weather” friendship. China is Pakistan’s largest trading partner and a major source of foreign investment, with cooperation extending across infrastructure, defence, technology and scientific research.
Beijing has expanded its space programme substantially in recent years, developing its own space station and increasing the frequency of crewed and uncrewed missions. The programme is part of China’s wider effort to strengthen its position in space exploration and compete with the United States.
China has also set a target of landing astronauts on the Moon by 2030. Its lunar programme includes plans for further robotic exploration and the development of technology needed for future crewed missions.
The Pakistani astronaut’s participation in Shenzhou-24 is expected to provide an opportunity for practical experience in spaceflight and strengthen scientific cooperation between the two countries. It will also open the way for further Pakistani participation in China’s human spaceflight programme under the 2025 agreement.
