Minister Iqbal names November 25 as date for astronaut’s flight from China — Dawn

Pakistan’s Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said that the first Pakistani astronaut will depart on a space mission from a Chinese space center on November 25. He announced this at the closing ceremony of World Space Week in the Pakistani city of Narowal, Dawn reports.

Two candidates are undergoing training

In April, China selected two Pakistani pilots — Zeeshan Ali and Khurram Daud — as candidates for its crewed space program. They are undergoing intensive training in Beijing.

At the same time, China has not yet publicly specified which of the two candidates will fly or when the mission will take place. Amer Gilani, who is responsible for cooperation in the field of crewed flights at Pakistan’s Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission, Suparco, previously told Reuters that a final decision on the astronaut was expected in mid- or late October.

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Experiments in orbit

According to a Suparco official cited by Reuters, the selected pilot will receive the status of a payload specialist. His task in orbit will be to conduct Pakistani scientific experiments rather than pilot the spacecraft.

The flight is to take place aboard a Chinese-made spacecraft launched from a Chinese launch site. The candidates are being trained by Chinese instructors, and communication in orbit will take place in Chinese.

During his speech, Iqbal also said that Pakistan aims to make a lunar landing by 2035. He expressed hope that cooperation with China would help the country develop space research.