Pakistani astronaut to join Shenzhou-24 mission to China's space station

A Pakistani astronaut will join the Shenzhou-24 mission to China's Tiangong space station, marking the first time a foreigner has visited the orbiting outpost, according to the China National Space Administration (CNSA). This comes as a sign of the strong diplomatic and strategic ties between Pakistan and China, which were formalized in February 2025 through a deal establishing a Chinese government training program for Pakistani astronauts.

While the exact departure date remains unknown, the mission is expected to occur by the end of the year. Earlier, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal announced the mission would take place on November 25 during a ceremony.

The Pakistani astronaut, serving as a payload specialist, will embark on a brief orbital flight before returning with the Shenzhou-23 spaceship, which docked at the Tiangong space station in May. Although the agency has not disclosed the astronaut's name, it was revealed in April that Muhammad Zeeshan Ali and Khurram Daud had been selected for training in China.

In April, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met with the two Pakistani astronauts, expressing his pride in their selection and their tireless efforts to achieve this milestone. He further emphasized that the space mission would strengthen the "brotherly relationship" between Pakistan and China.

China has been steadily investing in its space program, aiming to surpass its rival, the United States, and plans to send astronauts to the Moon by 2030. Pakistan, with its long-standing "all-weather" friendship with China, presents an ideal partner in this endeavor. In February 2025, the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) and the CNSA signed a cooperation agreement, which includes training opportunities for two Pakistanis, with one astronaut joining a mission aboard the Tiangong space station.