Pakistan Selects Astronaut Candidates as SUPARCO Achieves Major Milestone

Islamabad (Qudrat Daily) — Pakistan’s national space agency, SUPARCO, has successfully completed the selection process for candidates for an upcoming space mission, marking a significant milestone in the country’s space program.

According to details, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) stated that the candidate selection phase for the space mission has been completed successfully. After an initial screening process, two candidates have been shortlisted to undergo six months of astronaut training.

Following the completion of training, one candidate will be finally selected for the space mission in October or November. The mission will carry a Pakistani astronaut to the Chinese space station.

Pakistan and China signed a bilateral space cooperation agreement in February 2025. Under this agreement, China selected Pakistan as the first foreign partner to participate in its astronaut program, further strengthening cooperation between the two countries in space exploration.