China and Pakistan have signed an agreement paving the way for a Pakistani astronaut to become the first foreign national to visit Beijing’s space station.
The China Manned Space Engineering Office (CMSEO) and the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) formalised their cooperation through a pact that will enable a Pakistani astronaut to fly to the Chinese space station, according to a statement from Beijing.
As part of the agreement, China will select one Pakistani astronaut from a group trained under its space program.
The selection process is expected to last about a year, during which candidates will undergo rigorous training in China.
The team of two men and one woman will replace the astronauts who have lived on the Tiangong space station for the last six months.
Historic Milestone
Once chosen, the astronaut will participate in short-term flight missions alongside Chinese astronauts at the Tiangong space station in the coming years.
This marks a historic milestone as it is the first time China will be selecting and training a foreign astronaut.
Tiangong space station consists of three modules and was completed between 2021 and 2022.
In orbit since late-April, Shenzhou 18 astronauts Ye Guangfu, Li Cong, Li Guangsu safely touch down on Earth.
