Science & Tech · Space · 4 hrs ago
Pakistani astronaut selected for China’s Shenzhou 24 mission
A Pakistani astronaut will fly on China’s Shenzhou 24 mission and visit the country’s space station.
The astronaut will serve as a payload specialist, but China has not identified which candidate was selected.
Pakistani candidates Muhammad Zeeshan Ali and Khurram Daud have trained in China for the flight.
The mission follows a cooperation agreement signed by China and Pakistan in February 2025.
After a short time in orbit, the astronaut is expected to return to Earth aboard Shenzhou 23.
This will be the first joint flight by Chinese and foreign astronauts in China’s crewed space program.
The launch date has not been announced.
A Pakistani astronaut will join China’s Shenzhou-24 crew, becoming the first foreign national to visit China’s space station.
The astronaut will take part as a payload specialist in a short-term flight in orbit.
After the flight, the astronaut is due to return to Earth aboard the Shenzhou-23 spacecraft.
The mission will be the first joint flight involving Chinese and foreign astronauts in China’s manned space program.
The astronaut has not yet been identified; two Pakistani candidates were reported to have trained for the mission.
- Who
- One Pakistani astronaut, to be selected from two candidates.
- What
- The astronaut will join the Shenzhou-24 mission as a payload specialist and return aboard Shenzhou-23.
- When
- The launch date was not specified.
- Where
- China’s space station.
- Why
- The flight is part of China and Pakistan’s agreement on selecting and training Pakistani astronauts for missions to China’s space station.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
China and Pakistan signed an agreement on selecting and training Pakistani astronauts for missions to China’s space station.
Two Pakistani candidates began training alongside Chinese astronauts.
Chinese authorities announced that one Pakistani astronaut would join the Shenzhou-24 mission.
- Mission
- Shenzhou-24
- Returning spacecraft
- Shenzhou-23
- Pakistani candidates
- Muhammad Zeeshan Ali and Khurram Daud
- Agreement signed
- February 2025
- Role
- Payload specialist
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What people are saying
intensive Chinese language instruction