China's space diplomacy lifts Pakistani astronaut toward orbit

Two Pakistani pilots are learning Mandarin, centrifuge drills, and weightlessness adaptation as a decision nears on who will become the first foreign astronaut on China’s Tiangong space station. This would mark a first for Pakistan, part of an extensive collaboration with Beijing that includes the Belt and Road Initiative, Chinese-launched Pakistani satellites, a joint satellite-navigation system, and a Pakistani-built rover slated to fly on China’s Chang’e 8 lunar mission around 2028.

The training took place at the China Astronaut Research and Training Center in Beijing and was overseen by Amer Gilani, who coordinates human spaceflight cooperation at Pakistan’s space agency, SUPARCO. However, China has not disclosed which pilot will be chosen or the timeline. A final decision is expected in mid-to-late October.

The selected pilot will not return to Pakistan until launch, embarking directly from China and returning following a recovery period. The training includes intensive Chinese-language instruction, spacecraft systems comprehension, and adaptation to microgravity and liftoff g-forces. Both pilots were among 20 finalists from an initial Pakistani pool of pilots and scientists, selected for medical fitness, psychological resilience, and ability to withstand high g-forces.

The astronaut will serve as a payload specialist, running Pakistani science experiments aboard the station, which has hosted over 180 experiments, leading to more than 500 research papers and 150 patents. The Pakistani-built lunar rover, to fly on China’s Chang’e 8 mission in 2028, is another aspect of this collaboration, utilizing AI-based stereo imaging for lunar surface navigation.