{
  "id": 18897280,
  "title": "China Selects First Ever Pakistani Astronaut for Next Space Mission",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/08/china-selects-first-ever-pakistani-astronaut-for-next-space-mission",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-11-08T08:18:02.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "ProPakistani",
    "slug": "propakistani",
    "url": "https://propakistani.pk/2026/11/08/china-selects-first-ever-pakistani-astronaut-for-next-space-mission/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "China has announced that it will select a Pakistani astronaut to join its upcoming crewed spaceflight mission, Shenzhou-24. This marks the first time a foreign national will participate in a China-led space mission. The individual will serve as a payload specialist and join the Shenzhou-24 crew for a short stay in orbit before returning to Earth aboard the Shenzhou-23 spacecraft. This historic event is set to take place following a rigorous selection process, which included two Pakistani candidates - Muhammad Zeeshan Ali and Khurram Daud. Both underwent extensive training at China's astronaut training center in Beijing. The selection was based on a three-stage assessment process under an agreement between Pakistan and China signed in Islamabad in February 2025. One of the selected candidates will embark on the mission while the other remains available as a backup. To honor this international collaboration, the Shenzhou-24 mission emblem incorporates Pakistan's national flower, the jasmine.",
  "summary": "History will be made in space exploration as a Pakistani astronaut will join China’s Shenzhou-24 crewed spaceflight mission as a … Read More The post China Selects First Ever Pakistani Astronaut for Next Space Mission appeared first on ProPakistani .",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Hindustan Times - World News",
        "title": "Pakistani astronaut becomes first foreigner to join China's next space-station mission",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/07/pakistani-astronaut-becomes-first-foreigner-to-join-chinas-next-space",
        "published": "2026-11-07T09:24:01.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Daily Times",
        "title": "Pakistani astronaut to join China’s Shenzhou-24 mission",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/07/pakistani-astronaut-to-join-chinas-shenzhou-24-mission",
        "published": "2026-11-07T11:49:27.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}