Islamabad:

In a milestone that marks a new chapter in Pakistan’s scientific development, the nation is preparing to send its very first astronaut into space – a performance once seemed a distant dream, now transformed into a tangible reality.

With the ink fresh -dried on a landmark cooperation agreement between Pakistan’s national aerospace agency Suparco and China Manned Space Agency (CMSA), the countdown has begun for a historic trip to the Chinese space station (CSS), Tiangong.

According to this agreement, two Pakistani astronauts will undergo a strict education in the Astronaut Center in China. One of them will eventually be chosen as a scientific payroll specialist entrusted to performing advanced research aboard CSS.

The selection process, scheduled for completion in 2026, culminates with the astronaut joining one of China’s upcoming missions. The importance of this bet extends far beyond the symbolic achievement of a Pakistani in space.

The astronaut’s mission aboard CSS will include pioneering scientific experiments in biology, fluid mechanics, medical science, material studies, space radiation and several fields with far -reaching consequences for life on Earth.

The Chinese station is equipped with advanced research modules that offer a unique microgravity environment, giving researchers the opportunity to conduct studies impossible to replicate on Earth.

“This agreement is a landmark in Pakistan’s space journey,” said the President of the Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) Mohammad Yousuf Khan. “It reflects our stamina, adaptability and technological advances we have made in recent years.”