China Selects Pakistani Astronauts for Tiangong Space Station Missions
The China Manned Space Agency announced the selection of two Pakistani astronauts for training, marking the first group of foreign nationals to prepare for missions aboard the Tiangong Space Station.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 22, 2026 at 22:09
- 🔍 Collected: April 22, 2026 at 22:32 (22 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 22, 2026 at 23:15 (43 min after Collected)
The China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) announced today that the selection for the first batch of foreign astronauts has concluded, with two Pakistani candidates, Muhammad Zeeshan Ali and Khurram Daud, selected as backup astronauts. They will soon travel to China for training and, upon successful evaluation, one will participate in a flight mission to the Tiangong Space Station as a payload specialist. This cooperation stems from a 2025 agreement between China and Pakistan. CMSA described this as a landmark event in China's aerospace history and a manifestation of the 'all-weather strategic partnership' between the two nations. Meanwhile, the current Shenzhou-21 crew, who have been aboard Tiangong since October 2025, will have their mission extended by about one month to further verify long-term stay technologies.