Pakistani Astronaut Set to Make History Aboard China’s Space Station

WHO:

Phys.org - A Pakistani astronaut is set to join the crew of China’s Shenzhou 24 spacecraft.

ABC News - Two Pakistani candidates, Muhammad Zeeshan Ali and Khurram Daud, began training alongside Chinese astronaut candidates; one was planned to be selected as a payload specialist.

ABC News - The China Manned Space Agency provided information about the astronaut’s planned flight.

WHAT:

Phys.org - The mission would make the Pakistani astronaut the first foreign national to board China’s space station.

ABC News - The astronaut is expected to complete a short on-orbit flight and return to Earth aboard the Shenzhou 23 spacecraft.

ABC News - The mission would be the first joint flight involving Chinese and foreign astronauts in China’s manned space program.

ABC News - The astronaut’s training included hands-on operational capabilities and “intensive Chinese language instruction.”

ABC News - China is preparing for its first crewed lunar landing by 2030; NASA aims to land astronauts on the lunar surface in 2028.

WHERE:

ABC News - The mission concerns China’s space station; the astronaut is expected to return to Earth aboard Shenzhou 23.

ABC News - The planned lunar landing sites are on the lunar surface.

WHEN:

ABC News - The China-Pakistan agreement covering the flight was signed in February 2025.

ABC News - The astronaut’s launch date was not specified.

ABC News - China is preparing for a crewed lunar landing by 2030, and NASA is aiming for a lunar landing in 2028.

WHY:

ABC News - The flight is part of an agreement signed by China and Pakistan.

HOW:

Phys.org - The Pakistani astronaut is to travel with the crew of Shenzhou 24.

ABC News - One of two Pakistani candidates was planned to serve as a payload specialist on a short-term spaceflight mission.

ABC News - The astronaut is expected to return on Shenzhou 23 after the on-orbit flight.

(UPDATED November 7, 2026 11:57 UTC)

A Pakistani astronaut is set to join China’s Shenzhou 24 crew, becoming the first foreign visitor to its space station. One of two Pakistani candidates will serve as a payload specialist on a short-duration flight. The astronaut is expected to return to Earth aboard Shenzhou 23.