What we know
What we know: Pakistani astronaut to board Shenzhou 24 and become the first foreigner on China's space station
Compiled Nov 7
What we know
- A Pakistani astronaut will join the crew of China's Shenzhou 24 spacecraft
- This would make him the first foreign national to board China's space station
- The astronaut would complete a short on-orbit flight and return to Earth aboard Shenzhou 23
- This mission would be the first joint flight involving Chinese and foreign astronauts in the history of China's manned space program
- Two Pakistani candidates, Muhammad Zeeshan Ali and Khurram Daud, began training alongside Chinese counterparts earlier this year
- The flight is part of an agreement signed by China and Pakistan in February 2025
What we don’t know yet
- The report did not specify the launch date for the mission
- It is not stated which of the two Pakistani candidates will be selected for the flight
Open questions
- When exactly will the Shenzhou 24 mission launch?
- Which of the two Pakistani candidates will be chosen for the flight?
- How long will the 'short on-orbit flight' last?
- What specific duties will the Pakistani astronaut perform as payload specialist?
Drawn from the Associated Press report. “What we don’t know” lists only what the reporting itself flags as unresolved.