Two Pakistani candidates have been shortlisted for a groundbreaking space mission, marking a significant milestone in Pakistan's Human Spaceflight Programme. This achievement is a result of a cooperation agreement signed between Pakistan's Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) and China's Manned Space Agency (CMSA) in February 2025. The agreement paves the way for two Pakistani astronauts to train in China, with one eventually joining a mission on China's Tiangong space station. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) announced this development, highlighting the successful completion of the secondary phase of astronaut candidate selection. The candidates underwent rigorous assessments, including medical, psychological, and aptitude evaluations, at the Astronauts Centre of China (ACC), adhering to international standards. The shortlisted astronauts will now embark on advanced training at ACC for six months. One of them will be chosen for a spaceflight mission aboard the Tiangong space station in October/November 2026. This collaboration is a testament to the strong support from the Chinese government, which has selected Pakistan as its first foreign partner in its astronaut programme. The Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, expressed his vision and support for Pakistan's participation in human spaceflight, and the CMSA confirmed that the selected astronaut will conduct scientific experiments and perform crew duties on the Tiangong station. This achievement is a significant step forward in Pakistan's space exploration journey, and it opens up new possibilities for international cooperation in space.
