Pakistan has started the selection process for its first-ever manned space mission, which is expected to take place aboard China’s Tiangong Space Station. This was confirmed on Wednesday by a spokesperson for the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).
In February, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced Pakistan’s plan to send a manned mission to space in partnership with China. Following this, earlier in April, Pakistan’s space agency Suparco invited proposals for innovative scientific experiments to be carried out aboard the Chinese space station. The aim is to maximise the scientific outcomes of this historic mission.
China’s space programme has seen rapid growth in recent years, achieving major milestones including the construction of the Tiangong space station and successful lunar sample-return missions.
Speaking to APP, CMSA spokesperson Lin Xiqiang explained that the selection of Pakistani astronauts would be done in three stages. The first stage will be held in Pakistan. The second and final stages will take place in China.
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A Step Toward Developing the Space Technology Sector
Lin said, “The astronaut will be responsible for [conducting] scientific experiments on the behalf of Pakistan.” He also confirmed that the selected astronaut would join a joint space flight mission as a payload specialist.
On Tuesday, PM Shehbaz reaffirmed the government’s commitment to developing the space technology sector. He said, “Pakistan is giving utmost importance to the space technology sector,” and added that China is the country’s “most reliable and strategic partner.” He made these remarks while speaking to a delegation from Galaxy Space, a Chinese space technology company.
Two Pakistani astronauts will be selected and trained at the Astronaut Centre of China. This will make Pakistan the first foreign country to participate in China’s space station training programme. The entire selection process is expected to be completed by 2026.
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