WEB DESK:
Pakistan has taken a major step toward human spaceflight as the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) completed the second phase of astronaut selection for a planned mission to China’s Tiangong space station, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) announced on February 7, 2026.

Following an initial screening in Pakistan, two shortlisted candidates underwent extensive medical, psychological and aptitude assessments at the Astronaut Centre of China (ACC), in accordance with international human spaceflight standards. The process was conducted under the Astronaut Cooperation Agreement signed between SUPARCO and the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) in February 2025.

The selected candidates will now begin six months of advanced astronaut training at the ACC. Upon successful completion, one candidate will fly as a payload specialist on a short-duration mission aboard the Chinese Space Station in October or November 2026, while the other will serve as a backup.

The mission will allow Pakistan to conduct scientific experiments in microgravity, with more than 300 research proposals already shortlisted in fields including medicine, ecology, aerospace and astronomy.

Officials described the development as a landmark achievement, positioning Pakistan as the first foreign partner to send an astronaut to China’s space station and strengthening bilateral cooperation in space exploration.