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Space Collaboration: In a landmark agreement, China and Pakistan are set to collaborate on space exploration, with a Pakistani astronaut slated to be the first foreign national to journey to the Chinese Tiangong Space Station. This initiative marks a significant step in international space partnerships and highlights China’s growing space program. The selected Pakistani astronaut will undergo training in China before embarking on a mission to the orbital outpost.
China and Pakistan have agreed to launch a Pakistani astronaut to the Chinese Tiangong Space Station, the first foreign astronauts to visit the orbital outpost.
Pakistani Astronaut to Train for Tiangong Mission
In a pioneering step for its space initiatives, China’s space program will provide training to a Pakistani astronaut. This astronaut will achieve a historic milestone as the first foreign individual to visit China’s space station, Tiangong.
Agreement Details and Signing
The “Cooperation Agreement on the Selection, Training of Pakistani Astronauts and Participation in China’s Space Station Flight Mission” formalizes this partnership. Representatives from the China Manned Space Engineering Office (CMSE) and the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) formalized the accord on February 28.
According to a statement from the CMSE, “The execution of this agreement signifies a landmark moment where the Chinese government will undertake the selection and training of astronauts from a foreign nation. Furthermore, the Chinese space station is poised to receive its inaugural international astronaut.”
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The official signing ceremony occurred in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, at the Prime Minister’s Office. Lin Xiqiang, deputy director of CMSE, and Mohammad Yousaf Khan, chairman of SUPARCO, signed the agreement on behalf of their respective agencies.
Astronaut Selection and Mission Timeline
The astronaut selection process is anticipated to span approximately one year. Following selection, the Pakistani astronauts will travel to China to commence their training regimen. CMSE officials indicated that subsequent to training, Pakistani and Chinese astronauts will jointly board the Tiangong space station for a sequence of short-term missions planned over the coming years.
Tiangong Space Station Operational Status
China’s Tiangong Space Station has been operational since 2022. CMSE successfully launched and assembled the three modules constituting the station in low Earth orbit. The station maintains an orbital altitude between 217 and 280 miles (340 to 450 kilometers) above Earth.
Previous Missions and Spacewalks
The inaugural crew of the Tiangong station, Shenzhou 12, launched in 2021 when only the core module was in orbit. Notably, in December of the preceding year, Chinese astronauts Cai Xuzhe and Song Lingdong, members of the Shenzhou 19 mission, undertook a record-duration spacewalk lasting nine hours outside the Tiangong space station, as reported by the CMSA.