ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has taken a major step toward joining the ranks nations capable of human spaceflight, with the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) announcing that two candidates have been shortlisted for the country’s historic space mission.
The candidates, selected through a rigorous evaluation process, are now set to undergo advanced astronaut training in China, indicating Pakistan’s first serious foray into sending humans beyond Earth’s atmosphere.
As per the ISPR, the selection comes after a series of medical, psychological, and aptitude tests conducted at China’s Astronauts Centre (ACC), following international standards for space missions. This follows an initial screening in Pakistan, ensuring only the most qualified candidates advance to the next stage.
The announcement indicates an important milestone for the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) and represents the fruition of a bilateral agreement with the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA), signed in February 2025.
One of the two candidates will ultimately join a mission to China’s Tiangong space station in late 2026.
In this sense, the officials have focused on that the programme reflects both Pakistan’s growing ambitions in space exploration and the strong diplomatic and scientific collaboration between Islamabad and Beijing.
The ISPR mentioned the role of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in championing the initiative, noting that his support was crucial in realizing Pakistan’s participation in human spaceflight. Meanwhile, China’s involvement also underlines its strategy to expand partnerships following its exclusion from the International Space Station since 2011.
Pakistan is the first foreign country chosen to participate in China’s astronaut programme, with the selected candidate expected to conduct scientific experiments while performing standard crew duties aboard Tiangong.
The programme’s next steps, including six months of intensive training in China and the final mission selection, are expected to draw global attention, making Pakistan a rare participant in human spaceflight alongside a select group of nations.
