China Selects Pakistan's Muhammad Zeeshan Ali, Khurram Daud as 1st Foreign Astronaut Candidates for Tiangong Space Station Mission

China has officially completed the selection of its first group of foreign astronauts, with two candidates from Pakistan chosen to participate in the country’s manned spaceflight programme. According to an announcement from China Manned Space (CMS) on Wednesday, Muhammad Zeeshan Ali and Khurram Daud have been named as the successful candidates. The duo will soon travel to China to begin intensive training as backup astronauts, marking a significant step toward the first foreign national boarding the Chinese space station.

The selection is the result of a bilateral Astronaut Cooperation Agreement signed in February 2025 between the China Manned Space Engineering Office (CMSEO) and the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO). How China’s Super Brain Creates AI Clones of the Deceased.

Rigorous Screening and Training Phase

The selection process for Ali and Daud involved three stages of rigorous evaluation, including preliminary screening, secondary selection, and a final assessment. Upon their arrival in China, the candidates will undergo specialized training. Once they pass all required assessments, one of the two will be selected to participate in a spaceflight mission as a payload specialist.

This individual is set to become the first foreign astronaut to enter the Tiangong space station. The mission is viewed as a milestone for Pakistan’s space ambitions, which have seen renewed support under the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Bilateral Cooperation and Strategic Partnership

Pakistan's Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) described the development as a testament to the growing cooperation between the two nations in advanced scientific domains. The CMS release emphasized that this partnership serves as a successful implementation of the China-Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperative partnership in the space sector.

For China, the inclusion of Pakistani astronauts represents a shift toward greater international involvement in its space station operations. The CMSEO indicated that this move demonstrates China's openness to sharing the results of its space development with the global community.

Expanding International Access to Space

The selection of foreign candidates aligns with China’s broader mission for the peaceful use of outer space. Authorities stated that the human spaceflight programme will remain open to participation from other countries for scientific experiments, technological testing, and future astronaut training. NASA Roman Space Telescope Unveiled To Probe Exoplanets, Dark Matter; Launch in September 2026.

By welcoming international partners, China aims to expand humanity’s collective understanding of the universe. This cooperative model provides a framework for other nations to participate in human spaceflight without maintaining independent, high-cost launch infrastructures

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 22, 2026 10:38 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).