China Aerospace   Human Spaceflight & Space Stations   Space Policy & International Cooperation   Asia-Pacific (APAC)  

Pakistan pilot set to become first international astronaut aboard China’s Tiangong station

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China plans to fly a Pakistani pilot on the Shenzhou 24 mission, making the astronaut the first from another country to visit the Tiangong space station. The crew member is expected to spend roughly a week aboard the orbital outpost, marking an international dimension for China’s human spaceflight program.

Discovered 2026-11-12T09:15:58.350579-08:00 | 2026-11-12T09:15:58.350579-08:00

Briefing

What Hype is tracking

  • The planned flight would make a Pakistani pilot the first international visitor to Tiangong, extending China’s crewed spaceflight activity beyond its own astronaut corps.
  • The roughly week-long stay makes this a concrete instance of international participation in China’s space program; the article provides no further details on mission arrangements or the partnership.

Reported By

Space.com
Sources Tracked
1
First Seen
2026-11-12T09:15:58.350579-08:00
Latest Update
2026-11-12T09:15:58.350579-08:00
Coverage
Space

Sources

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