Pakistani astronauts to embark on space mission with China

BEIJEING: Two Pakistani astronauts will undergo training in China, with one expected to join a future mission aboard the Tiangong space station, the China-Manned Space Agency (CMSA) confirmed Wednesday.

The development follows a bilateral agreement signed in late February between China and Pakistan. CMSA said the selection process for the Pakistani astronauts has already begun.

“Consistent with the stringent criteria used for Chinese astronaut selection, a three-stage process (preliminary, secon­dary, and final) will govern candidate selection,” CMSA spokesperson Lin Xiqiang said at a press conference.

Lin added that a Pakistani astronaut will join the mission as a payload specialist and conduct scientific experiments for Pakistan, in addition to standard crew duties.

The announcement came alongside China’s confirmation of its latest crewed spaceflight. The Shenzhou-20 mission is scheduled to launch at 5:17pm on Thursday from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre, Lin said.

Leading the mission will be Chen Dong, a 46-year-old veteran astronaut and former fighter pilot who, in 2022, became the first Chinese astronaut to spend more than 200 cumulative days in orbit.

“Every space journey is very unique, so I look forward to bringing in more experience and breakthroughs in the flight,” said Chen, who is embarking on his third spaceflight.

Joining Chen are first-time fliers Chen Zhongrui, 40, a former air force pilot, and Wang Jie, 35, a former space technology engineer.

The current crew aboard Tiangong is expected to return to Earth on April 29 after completing handover procedures with the Shenzhou-20 team, according to Mr Lin.

The Shenzhou-20 crew will carry out scientific experiments in physics and life sciences and install protective equipment against space debris.

China has been barred from particip­ating in the International Space Station since 2011, when the US prohibited NASA from collaborating with Chinese space agencies. Since then, Beijing has sought to build partnerships with other countries — including Pakistan — in its expanding space programme.