Pakistani astronaut to join China Space Station

JIUQUAN: China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) on Wednesday said that following the signing of a cooperation agreement between China and Pakistan at the end of February, the selection process for Pakistani astronauts is now underway.

Similar to the selection process for Chinese astronauts, it consists of three stages: preliminary selection, secondary selection and final selection.

The preliminary selection is being conducted in Pakistan, while the secondary and final stages will take place in China, CMSA spokesman Lin Xiqiang said in response to a question asked by APP at a press conference held at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China.

Ultimately, two Pakistani astronauts will be chosen to undergo training in China, he added.

According to the flight mission plans for the China Space Station and the progress of international cooperation, one Pakistani astronaut will participate in a joint spaceflight mission as a payload specialist.

In addition to daily crew duties, the astronaut will also be responsible for operating scientific experiments on behalf of Pakistan.

Meanwhile, China is in discussions with other countries regarding their astronauts’ participation in missions to the China Space Station, with further updates to be released at an appropriate time.

Earlier, Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif said that Pakistan will launch its first space-manned expedition to China’s space station in partnership with the friendly country.

Speaking at a ceremony following the signing of a cooperation agreement between China Manned Space Agency and Pakistan’s Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPPARCO), the prime minister praised the Chinese government for yet another excellent move to strengthen bilateral cooperation in this area.

PM Shehbaz said that under the dynamic leadership of Chinese President Xi Jinping, not only the space programme is progressing speedily but also mega projects in other sectors were built in Pakistan under China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which had really transformed the country’s landscape.

PM Shehbaz said that Pakistan’s participation in the China Space Station programme reflects the deep-rooted ties between the two countries and will contribute to mutual knowledge-sharing and the broader vision of peaceful space exploration for the benefit of humanity.