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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) on Wednesday announced a &ldquo;landmark advancement&rdquo; in its manned space mission programme, saying two astronaut candidates will travel to China for training, according to a statement shared by SUPARCO.&nbsp;Khurram Daud and Muhammad Zeeshan Ali are set to depart for the People&rsquo;s Republic of China to begin advanced astronaut training at the Astronaut Centre of China (ACC), according to the statement.&nbsp;The development marks &ldquo;a significant step forward&rdquo; in Pakistan&rsquo;s space exploration journey that will place the country among a select group of nations engaged in human spaceflight programmes, as per the statement. Under the collaboration, Pakistan is preparing for its first participation in a mission to the China Space Station (CSS), planned for launch in late 2026.&nbsp; A Pakistani astronaut will serve as a payload expert aboard the Shenzhen mission, added the statement.&nbsp;During the mission, the astronaut will conduct scientific experiments in microgravity across material science, fluid physics, life and bio science, and biotechnology, with potential applications for climate resilience, food security, and industrial innovation, said the statement.&nbsp;Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif commended SUPARCO&rsquo;s efforts and praised China-Pakistan cooperation, calling the selection of Pakistan for participation in the manned space mission a testament to the two countries&rsquo; &ldquo;ironclad&rdquo; ties.

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SUPARCO announces two Pakistani astronaut candidates will train in China ahead of a planned 2026 mission to the China Space Station, marking a major step in Pakistan’s human spaceflight program.

Pakistan to send astronauts to China for space program training

ISLAMABAD: Two Pakistani astronaut candidates have been shortlisted for Pakistan&rsquo;s Human Spaceflight Programme after completing the secondary phase of selection, which included comprehensive medical, psychological and aptitude assessments at China&rsquo;s Astronauts Centre (ACC), the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.&nbsp;An ISPR press release stated: &ldquo;Pakistan Space &amp; Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-launches-first-homegrown-hyperspectral-satellite-prschs1-from-china" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">SUPARCO</a>) has achieved yet another significant milestone in Pakistan&rsquo;s Human Spaceflight Programme with the successful completion of the secondary phase of astronaut candidates&rsquo; selection.&rdquo; &ldquo;Following an initial screening process in Pakistan, two candidates have been shortlisted after undergoing comprehensive medical, psychological and aptitude assessments conducted at the Astronauts Centre of China (ACC), in accordance with international human spaceflight standards.&rdquo;<div class="fr-embed youtube-embed"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/A6T4QW-80Mo" title="SUPARCO Reaches Major Milestone in Pakistan’s Human Spaceflight Programme.| ISPR" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen="" style="width: 100%; height: auto; aspect-ratio: 16 / 9; max-width: 100%; display: block;"></iframe>&nbsp;</div>The statement said, &ldquo;The shortlisted candidates will undertake advanced astronaut training for six months at ACC.&rdquo; &lsquo;Astronaut Cooperation Agreement&rsquo;&ldquo;Upon completion of training, one candidate will be selected for a spaceflight mission aboard the Chinese Space Station (CSS) in October / November 2026,&rdquo; it added. This cooperation is anchored on the bilateral &ldquo;Astronaut Cooperation Agreement&rdquo;, signed in February 2025, under the leadership of the Prime Minister of Pakistan, whose vision and support were instrumental in enabling Pakistan&rsquo;s participation in human spaceflight, the statement said. The press release said, &ldquo;This landmark initiative also reflects the strong support of the Government of the People&rsquo;s Republic of China, which selected Pakistan as the first foreign partner in its astronaut program.&rdquo;&nbsp;

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ISPR says ‘Pakistan Space & Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) has achieved yet another significant milestone in Pakistan’s Human Spaceflight Programme with the successful completion of the secondary phase of astronaut candidates’ selection.’ 

Two Pakistani candidates shortlisted to train for Chinese space station mission

Syed Ahmed Raza

ISLAMABAD: In a strategic move to bolster its self-reliance in space and defense technologies, India on Sunday launched a communications satellite from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in&nbsp;Sriharikota. The CMS-03 communications satellite, also known as GSAT-7R, was launched aboard India&#39;s indigenous Launch Vehicle Mark-3 rocket.&nbsp;According to the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), the satellite will operate in geostationary orbit, providing secure, multi-band communications for the Indian Navy. Indian media described it as a military communications satellite designed to strengthen the Navy&rsquo;s command, control, and surveillance network across the Indian Ocean.&nbsp;The CMS-03 replaces the ageing GSAT-7 and marks a major upgrade in India&rsquo;s military communications capability. ISRO said the launch also tested, for the first time in orbit, an indigenously developed cryogenic upper-stage engine, improving payload precision and fuel efficiency.&nbsp;Expansion of India&rsquo;s orbital ambitionsThe launch continues a series of recent Indian space milestones. In January, ISRO&rsquo;s GSLV-F15 successfully placed the NVS-02 navigation satellite into orbit, while in July, the joint NASA-ISRO radar mission, NISAR, was launched &mdash; a $1.5 billion project aimed at global environmental monitoring.&nbsp;In September, ISRO transferred its Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) technology to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to enable commercial production by 2027. The agency has also declared 2025 as &ldquo;Gaganyaan Year,&rdquo; with an uncrewed human spaceflight test featuring the humanoid robot Vyommitra scheduled for December.&nbsp;Together, these steps reflect India&rsquo;s push toward self-reliance in strategic space technology and defense applications. Strategic recalibration post-May 2025 air engagementsIndia&rsquo;s latest satellite focus highlights its efforts to restore strategic confidence following its setback in the May 2025 air engagements with Pakistan. During those encounters, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) had demonstrated superior coordination and situational awareness against advanced Indian aircraft, downing at least six Indian aircraft, including the top-of-the-shelf Rafale. PAF Air Vice Marshal Aurangzeb Ahmed, in a post-engagement briefing earlier this year, credited Pakistan&rsquo;s performance to its multi-domain operational capability and to the integration of real-time intelligence, cyber defense, and space-based data into air operations. That experience underscored a key shift in modern warfare: information dominance &mdash; not firepower alone &mdash; now determines superiority. India&rsquo;s new satellite is therefore widely seen as an attempt to close that gap and strengthen its command-and-control resilience through space-enabled systems. Pakistan&rsquo;s growing space cooperationPakistan has also accelerated its own space program through its space agency, the Space &amp; Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), in partnership with China. In January this year, SUPARCO launched the Electro-Optical Satellite (EO-1) to support agriculture, resource mapping, and disaster management. In October, it launched its first hyperspectral imaging satellite (HS-1) aboard a Chinese rocket, enhancing capabilities in environmental monitoring and precision agriculture. Pakistan has also joined China&rsquo;s astronaut training program, with two candidates preparing for a future mission aboard the Tiangong space station in 2026. Additionally, the PAKSAT-MM1 communications satellite completed its first operational year, expanding national connectivity, e-learning, and telemedicine networks. Budgetary gap and road to autonomyOfficial documents reveal a stark contrast in space program funding between the two countries. Pakistan&rsquo;s SUPARCO operates on an annual budget of roughly $120 million, while India&rsquo;s ISRO receives around $1.6 billion &mdash; a nearly 14-fold difference that highlights the scale of Pakistan&rsquo;s resource constraints. This financial disparity largely explains Pakistan&rsquo;s reliance on external partnerships, particularly with China, to advance its space capabilities. While such collaborations provide access to cutting-edge technology and help bridge immediate gaps, they also highlight the challenges Pakistan faces in achieving long-term self-reliance and fostering indigenous innovation in its space sector. Under the National Space Policy 2024 and Space Vision 2047, Pakistan aims to build self-reliant capacity by developing domestic satellites, indigenous launch vehicles, and a sovereign data network. Experts say achieving that goal will require greater investment, local manufacturing, and a skilled technical workforce. Space: the new strategic frontierThe growing focus on orbital infrastructure reflects the changing nature of South Asia&rsquo;s defense landscape. As India expands its military communications network through space, Pakistan is deepening cooperative development to ensure access and capability. Both countries now view the space domain not merely as a scientific frontier but as a core element of national security, a shift that places information dominance and satellite communications at the center of regional deterrence and defense planning.

India’s launch of the CMS-03 satellite underscores its push for space-based military dominance, while Pakistan accelerates its own space program through China partnerships, aiming for long-term self-reliance and strategic capability

Articles tagged with "SUPARCO"

Pakistan to send astronauts to China for space program training

Two Pakistani candidates shortlisted to train for Chinese space station mission

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