Name: Two Pakistanis picked for China space programme; one to fly as payload specialist
Uploaded: 2026-04-22T12:10:10+00:00
Description: BEIJING: China has selected two Pakistani astronauts as candidates for its manned space programme, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Wednesday. Both will travel to China for training, and one will participate in a flight mission as a payload specialist and become the first foreign astronaut in China's space station, CCTV said.

BEIJING: China has selected two Pakistani astronauts as candidates for its manned space programme, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Wednesday. Both will travel to China for training, and one will participate in a flight mission as a payload specialist and become the first foreign astronaut in China's space station, CCTV said.

BEIJING: China has selected two Pakistani astronauts as candidates for its manned space programme, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Wednesday.

Both will travel to China for training, and one will participate in a flight mission as a payload specialist and become the first foreign astronaut in China's space station, CCTV said.

The development came two months after the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) successfully completed the secondary phase of astronaut candidates’ selection.

In a statement on February 7, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) had said that the milestone marked a significant development in Pakistan’s Human Spaceflight Programme.

Following an initial screening process conducted in Pakistan, two candidates had been shortlisted after undergoing comprehensive medical, psychological and aptitude assessments at the Astronauts Centre of China (ACC), in line with international human spaceflight standards.

The ISPR had said the cooperation is anchored in the bilateral Astronaut Cooperation Agreement signed in February 2025, under the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The agreement reflects the prime minister’s vision and support, which were instrumental in enabling Pakistan’s participation in human spaceflight.

The ISPR had described the development as a landmark achievement for Pakistan’s space ambitions and a testament to growing bilateral cooperation between Pakistan and China in advanced scientific and technological domains.