A Pakistani astronaut to join China’s space mission aboard the Shenzhou-24 spacecraft, marking a major milestone in space cooperation between the two countries, Chinese state media reported on Saturday.
The astronaut will serve as a payload specialist and become the first foreign visitor to China’s space station, according to broadcaster CCTV, which cited the China Manned Space Agency.
China has not yet revealed the astronaut’s identity. However, Pakistani pilots Zeeshan Ali and Khurram Daud have spent several months training at the China Astronaut Research and Training Center in Beijing.
A Pakistani space agency official confirmed their training to Reuters in September.
Chinese authorities have not announced the mission’s launch date.
According to CCTV, the Pakistani astronaut will complete a short-term stay aboard the Chinese space station before returning to Earth on the Shenzhou-23 spacecraft.
The mission will mark the first joint spaceflight involving Chinese and foreign astronauts in China’s human spaceflight programme.
The development reflects growing space cooperation between Pakistan and China under Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative and represents a significant step in the two countries’ bilateral space partnership.
