Pakistani astronaut to join China’s next space station mission
China has selected a Pakistani astronaut to join the Shenzhou-24 mission, marking the first time a foreign national will visit the Chinese space station. This collaboration is part of a broader bilateral space program and the Belt and Road Initiative.
Why it matters
This mission signifies deepening strategic and technological ties between China and Pakistan, expanding China's influence in space exploration.
The unnamed individual will be the first foreign national to visit China’s space station as part of Shenzhou-24 mission.
x whatsapp-stroke copylink google Add Al Jazeera on Google info A woman and two boys gather by a giant figure of an astronaut as they pose for pictures next to the Wulanhada Volcano Geopark visitor centre in Ulanqab, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China, July 26, 2026 [Maxim Shemetov/Reuters] By Al Jazeera Staff , AFP and Reuters Published On 7 Nov 2026 7 Nov 2026 China’s Manned Space Agency has selected a Pakistani astronaut as a payload specialist for its upcoming Shenzhou-24 mission, making the unnamed individual the first foreign national to visit the country’s space station.
The Pakistani astronaut would join China’s Shenzhou-24 mission, as part of bilateral cooperation under Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative, Chinese state media reported on Saturday.
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