Bengaluru: China has confirmed a Pakistani astronaut will become the first foreign national to board its Tiangong space station, joining the Shenzhou-24 crewed mission as a payload specialist.
The China Manned Space Agency (CMSA), which announced the decision on Nov 7, has not named the candidate or specified a launch date. The agreement between China and Pakistan was signed in Feb 2025, covering astronaut selection, training and participation in Chinese space-station missions. China completed its space station in 2022, having developed an independent human spaceflight programme after being excluded from the ISS partnership.
The emerging competition, therefore, is not simply about who can build a station or send astronauts into space. The astronaut will be selected from two Pakistani candidates — Muhammad Zeeshan Ali and Khurram Daud — who have undergone months of training in China. For Pakistan, the mission represents its entry into human spaceflight. For China, it is an opportunity to demonstrate that Tiangong can serve as an international platform for crewed missions as the International Space Station (ISS) approaches retirement. Now, Beijing is looking to extend Tiangong’s reach through international partnerships. The Pakistan mission is an early demonstration of that approach. China has also been working with other countries on space exploration, including lunar missions, and offering opportunities for international participation. The timing matters. The ISS, the world’s only mature, multilateral space station, is approaching the end of its operational life. Tiangong could increasingly become an alternative for countries seeking access to human spaceflight, scientific experiments and operational experience in orbit. It is also about who can attract partners and shape the frameworks for future exploration.