China Launches Pakistani Satellite and Begins Astronaut Training

China has expanded its aerospace cooperation with Pakistan through the launch of a new imaging satellite and the commencement of astronaut training. On April 25, 2026, a Long March 6 carrier rocket launched Pakistan's indigenous Electro-Optical Satellite (EO-3) from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in Shanxi province. The Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) stated the satellite will provide critical imaging data for disaster management, urban planning, food security, and environmental protection.

Concurrent with the satellite launch, Shehbaz Sharif met with selected astronaut candidates Muhammad Zeeshan Ali and Khurram Daud in Islamabad. The two candidates arrived in Beijing on April 24 to begin training at the Astronaut Centre of China. This initiative follows a February 2025 agreement between SUPARCO and the China Manned Space Agency.

One of the two candidates is expected to serve as a payload specialist on the Tiangong space station, which would make them the first foreign astronaut to board the station. The mission, planned for late 2026, will focus on scientific experiments in material science, fluid physics, and biotechnology. Prime Minister Sharif described the selection as a historic milestone in the bilateral relationship between the two nations.