First Foreign Astronauts Announced: Two Pakistani Astronauts Begin Training at China's Space Program
Summary: On April 24, 2026, the 11th China Space Day, China's Manned Space Engineering Office officially announced the completion of the first batch of foreign astronaut selection: two Pakistani astronauts — Lieutenant Colonel Muhammad Qasim Ali (Pakistan Air Force) and Lieutenant Colonel Gulam Daud (Pakistan Navy) — formally entered the China Astronaut Research and Training Center to train alongside Chinese astronauts. Both have extensive flying backgrounds and were selected through a rigorous process. Upon passing examinations, one will board a Shenzhou spacecraft to Tiangong Space Station in October–November 2026 as a payload specialist, becoming the first foreign astronaut on China's space station.
Image: Sohu News, authorized for use
China's Manned Space Engineering Office announced on April 22, 2026, that the first batch of foreign astronaut selection had concluded, with two Pakistani candidates selected. On April 24, during the China Space Day celebrations, the two astronauts formally arrived at the China Astronaut Research and Training Center.
The two astronauts bring impressive credentials. Lieutenant Colonel Muhammad Qasim Ali serves in the Pakistan Air Force and Lieutenant Colonel Gulam Daud in the Pakistan Navy — both are experienced military aviators and accomplished fighter pilots, with additional backgrounds in engineering and physics, making them exemplary candidates for spaceflight.
Under the training plan, both astronauts will complete all training programs and pass rigorous examinations in China. Upon completion, one will be selected to board a Shenzhou spacecraft bound for Tiangong Space Station in October–November 2026, staying in orbit for approximately one week to conduct Pakistani scientific experiments, becoming the first foreign astronaut on China's space station. This historic mission will extend the traditional friendship between China and Pakistan to the vast cosmos, and marks China's manned space program transitioning from independent breakthrough to global sharing.
Sources (original pages)
- China's First Batch of Foreign Astronauts Begin Training in China (Chinanews, April 24, 2026)
- China's Space Station to Welcome First Foreign Astronaut from Pakistan (Tencent News, April 23, 2026)
- Two Pakistani Astronauts Begin Training, Both are Pilots, One to Become Payload Expert in 6 Months (Tencent News, April 28, 2026)