Pakistani pilots vie for first foreign Tiangong crew

Pakistan is nearing a decision between pilots Zeeshan Ali and Khurram Daud for its first astronaut, who would also be the first foreign astronaut to visit China’s Tiangong space station. The two have trained for months in Beijing, studying Mandarin and spacecraft systems and preparing for launch forces and life in microgravity; selection is expected in mid-to-late October. The astronaut is expected to serve as a payload specialist, conducting Pakistani research rather than piloting the spacecraft, including biotechnology experiments selected to address food security and climate challenges. The mission is part of broader Pakistan-China space cooperation, which also includes satellites and a Pakistani rover planned for a future Chinese lunar mission.