Islamabad (TDI): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced that Pakistan will soon send its first manned mission to China’s space station.
Pakistan’s Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) and the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) have inked a cooperation deal in this regard.
Under the deal, two Pakistani astronauts will undergo training at the Astronaut Centre of China.
One of the astronauts will be trained as a scientific payload specialist for specialized research aboard the China Space Station.
The astronaut selection process will be completed by next year.
The mission will conduct cutting-edge scientific experiments in different fields, including biological and medical sciences, fluid mechanics, space radiation, aerospace, applied physics, ecology, material sciences, microgravity studies, and astronomy at CSS.
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The prime minister said the deal was “another wonderful gesture” from the Chinese government to further deepen bilateral collaboration in the field of space.
He underlined that Pakistan’s participation in the China Space Station program reflected deep-rooted relations between the two nations.
He added that Pakistan and China will share knowledge for peaceful space exploration for the benefit of humanity.
The PM also hailed the significance of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which had “transformed the country’s landscape”.
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Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal termed the deal “a historic milestone”.
He said the cooperation with China extends beyond astronaut training, laying the groundwork for Pakistan’s long-term development in human spaceflight and exploration.
The director general of CMSA, Dr Lin Xinqiang, hailed the cooperation and reaffirmed Beijing’s dedication to strengthening international collaboration in space exploration.
He said that Pakistan’s participation in the China Space Station program was a reflection of deep-rooted relations between the two countries.
