Pakistan will send two citizens for a year-long astronaut training at the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA), beginning in October 2025. The selected individuals will undergo extensive training before embarking on a one-week mission to China’s space station in 2026.
The Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) has invited proposals for scientific experiments to be included in the mission. Over 300 experiments have already been shortlisted from across Pakistan. This collaboration comes after a significant agreement was signed earlier this year between Suparco and CMSA, marking the beginning of Pakistan’s involvement in space missions with China.
As part of the agreement, two Pakistani astronauts will train at the Astronaut Centre of China. One astronaut will focus on specialized research as a scientific payload specialist, conducting groundbreaking experiments aboard the Chinese Space Station (CSS). These experiments will span fields such as biology, medical sciences, applied physics, aerospace, and astronomy, among others.
The mission aims to make substantial contributions to various scientific fields, with potential benefits for medical research, environmental monitoring, and space technology. The experiments conducted will take advantage of the advanced facilities on the Chinese space station, which include state-of-the-art experimental racks and external adaptors.
This initiative is part of broader efforts to strengthen space cooperation between Pakistan and China. Earlier this month, both countries agreed to expand their collaboration in space science, focusing on astronaut training and the development of a Pakistan Space Centre as part of a five-year action plan. The action plan also includes lunar and deep space exploration, and it is expected to lay the groundwork for Pakistan’s future participation in human spaceflight missions in partnership with China.
