Pakistani Astronaut to Become First Foreigner on China's Space Station (Shenzhou-24): What We Know So Far
Pakistan is about to make space history. On Saturday, 7 November 2026, China's space agency announced that a Pakistani astronaut will travel to the Tiangong space station aboard the Shenzhou-24 mission — becoming the first foreigner ever to visit China's orbiting outpost. The flight is expected to take place before the end of this year, and the whole country is waiting to learn which of the two trained Pakistani pilots will get the seat. For a country that has watched the space race from the sidelines for decades, this is a big moment. Here is everything we know so far about the mission, the astronauts, and what it means for Pakistan. What Was Announced Today The China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) said on Saturday that a Pakistani astronaut will join the Shenzhou-24 crew for a short flight to the Tiangong space station. The astronaut will travel as a payload specialist — a crew member whose main job is to carry out scientific experiments in orbit. The announcement makes Pakis...