Tech Desk 
Feb 28, 2025
In a groundbreaking turn of events, Pakistan and China have signed an agreement, jointly embarking on a mission to set the stage for Pakistani astronauts to get aboard Tiangong – the Chinese Space Station (CSS).
In this regard, a formal agreement was signed by the Pakistan Space & Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco), Pakistan's national space agency, and the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).
As part of the agreement, two Pakistani astronauts will be privileged to receive space training at the Astronaut Center of China, out of which one will be trained as a scientific payload specialist, who will then be provided expertise for specialised research aboard the CSS.
The selection of astronauts will be finalised by next year, and the actual participation in the following space mission will be planned by the CSS.
Pakistan's first astronaut at the Chinese space station will be supposed to carry out sophisticated scientific experiments in various fields, including biological and medical sciences, aerospace, applied physics, fluid mechanics, space radiation, ecology, material sciences, microgravity studies, and astronomy.
It's worth mentioning that the CSS is armed with state-of-the-art experimental equipment and external adaptors to assist in cross-functional research in the aforementioned fields.
