(BOLONEWS) – Beijing / Islamabad : China has announced that it will send Pakistani astronauts into space on a short-duration mission as part of its space station missions.
According to the Chinese news agency Xinhua, the decision was made by a spokesperson for the China Manned Space Program (CMSA) at a press conference.
According to the spokesperson, the Pakistani astronauts will train with Chinese astronauts and participate in scientific experiments and operational activities during the mission. The Chinese newspaper Global Times reported that the Pakistani astronauts will also perform routine duties with the crew.
The announcement comes after a cooperation agreement was signed between Suparco and China’s CMSA in March this year, under which it was agreed to send Pakistan’s first manned mission via the Chinese space station.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had said on the occasion that the agreement is a valuable initiative by China that will further strengthen cooperation in the field of space technology between the two countries.
It may be recalled that on October 19, Pakistan’s space agency Suparco successfully launched Pakistan’s first hyperspectral satellite (HS-1) into space from a launch center in China, which was described as a major breakthrough in Pakistan’s space program.
This satellite is equipped with advanced hyperspectral imaging technology, which will analyze the finest color bands of the Earth and atmosphere and help in environmental, agricultural and scientific research.
