Pakistan will send two astronauts to China for training by 2026, marking a historic first in international space collaboration with Beijing’s space program.
Pakistan will dispatch two astronauts to China for training under a historic agreement with Beijing, becoming the first foreign nation to join China’s space station training programme, Suparco Director Shafaat Ali stated on Friday.
In a significant step for Pakistan’s space ambitions, the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) has confirmed that two Pakistani astronauts will be chosen on merit to train in China’s space program. This historic step was made possible through a deal signed under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, marking enhanced technological collaboration between Islamabad and Beijing.
In an interview with a private news channel, Suparco Director Shafaat Ali disclosed that the selection of the astronauts will be finalized by 2026. The process will feature a three-stage tough scrutiny to guarantee that only the best candidates are selected. The candidates will be evaluated using academic merits, professional background, and physical standards. Candidates who qualify are PhD graduates, seasoned pilots, and fresh graduates who surpass strict criteria.
“China previously kept this training only for Chinese nationals,” Ali said. “Making it available to Pakistan is a clear show of friendship and confidence, the beginning of a new chapter in our bilateral ties.”
The partnership will not only give Pakistan the capabilities to train astronauts but also access to advanced research on board the China Space Station (CSS). The intended mission will carry out sophisticated scientific experiments in various fields, such as biological sciences, aerospace engineering, fluid mechanics, ecology, material sciences, and astronomy in microgravity environments.
This chance allows Pakistan to take a big stride toward space exploration,” Ali said, thanking Prime Minister Sharif and the Chinese leadership for their interest.
The cooperation fits into Beijing’s larger bid to boost foreign cooperation in the space field. Experts view the move as another indication of China’s improving ties with the countries, especially across science and technology fields.
Pakistan will send two astronauts to China for training by 2026
As Pakistan is set to send its first astronauts to China for training by 2026, the country is moving closer to joining the exclusive club of spacefaring nations. The cooperation with Beijing not only boosts Pakistan’s space science capabilities but also reflects the increasing strategic cooperation between the two countries in frontier technologies.
