Pakistan plans Moon landing by 2035, expands space cooperation with China

Pakistan has announced two major goals: sending its first astronaut on a space mission from China on November 25 and achieving a lunar landing by 2035. Planning minister Ahsan Iqbal made the announcement at the close of World Space Week 2026 in Punjab. The plans show Pakistan wants to expand beyond satellite-related activities into human spaceflight and lunar exploration.

The November mission will carry a Pakistani astronaut to China’s Tiangong space station. The astronaut will work as a payload specialist, conducting scientific experiments rather than operating the spacecraft. Two Pakistani pilots, Khurram Daud and Muhammad Zeeshan Ali, are training in China, but only one will be selected.

The Moon landing target is a longer-term ambition, not a confirmed mission schedule. Pakistan is also working with China on an uncrewed lunar rover for Chang’e-8, expected around 2028. The article reports no official commitment to send a Pakistani astronaut to the Moon under the current partnership.

Pakistan’s astronaut has not yet been named. Two candidates, pilots Khurram Daud and Muhammad Zeeshan Ali, have been training in China. One is expected to be selected for the November 25 flight. Their preparation includes spacecraft systems, Mandarin and the physical demands of spaceflight.

The winner will serve as a payload specialist aboard China’s Tiangong space station. That means the astronaut will focus on carrying out scientific experiments, rather than piloting or operating the spacecraft. The mission is part of an agreement signed in February 2025 between SUPARCO and the China Manned Space Agency to prepare a Pakistani astronaut.

The mission is expected to last about a week. A Chinese spacecraft will launch the astronaut from China, and the astronaut will return with members of a Chinese crew. Pakistan therefore gains a human spaceflight role without operating the vehicle itself.

Pakistan’s planned space effort has three different levels. The immediate step is a human spaceflight mission from China on November 25. The selected Pakistani astronaut would work aboard Tiangong for about a week. This is a practical near-term mission built around China’s existing spacecraft, station and training systems.

The next step is an uncrewed Pakistani lunar rover for China’s Chang’e-8 mission, expected around 2028. The rover is designed to use artificial intelligence-based stereo imaging. It would identify obstacles, judge distances and navigate the Moon autonomously because direct real-time control from Earth would not be possible.

The largest goal is a Pakistani lunar landing by 2035. Unlike the astronaut mission and rover partnership, this target is presented as Pakistan’s ambition rather than a detailed, agreed programme. The article also reports no official plan to send a Pakistani astronaut to the Moon through the existing partnership.

Pakistan needs China because it does not currently have an independent launch vehicle or crewed spacecraft. A human spaceflight mission requires a complete chain of capabilities, from astronaut preparation and launch to orbital operations and safe return. Pakistan’s November mission therefore depends on China’s established space infrastructure.

China is providing the astronaut training environment, launch services, spacecraft and access to the Tiangong space station. The two Pakistani candidates have been training at the China Astronaut Research and Training Centre in Beijing. They are learning spacecraft systems, Mandarin and how to handle the physical demands of spaceflight.

The partnership also includes cooperation between SUPARCO and the China Manned Space Agency. A Chinese spacecraft will carry the selected astronaut and bring the astronaut back with a Chinese crew. This makes the mission possible while Pakistan develops its own broader space capabilities, but it also means Pakistan is dependent on China for this flight.

The rover and astronaut projects represent different kinds of participation in space. The rover is an uncrewed Pakistani-built vehicle intended for China’s Chang’e-8 lunar mission, expected around 2028. The astronaut mission instead sends one Pakistani candidate to China’s Tiangong space station for human scientific work.

The rover’s key mechanism is artificial intelligence-based stereo imaging. It is intended to identify obstacles, assess distances and navigate across the lunar surface autonomously. Direct real-time control from Earth would not be possible, so the rover must make navigation decisions without continuous instructions. The astronaut, by contrast, will serve as a payload specialist and conduct experiments aboard the station.

The two projects should not be treated as steps in one confirmed crewed Moon programme. The article says Pakistan’s rover participation is separate from its 2035 lunar-landing ambition. It also reports no official commitment to send a Pakistani astronaut to the Moon under the existing China partnership.

Pakistan’s space expansion could bring benefits beyond a single astronaut flight. Planning minister Ahsan Iqbal linked space technology with agriculture, communications, climate monitoring, education and national security. He also said scientific research and exploration were important for technological advancement. These applications make the programme relevant to public services, economic activity and national planning.

In agriculture, space-based information can support observation of crops and land. Communications satellites can connect people and services over wide areas. Climate monitoring can provide data about environmental conditions, while space capabilities can contribute to national security. The article identifies these roles but does not describe specific Pakistani systems or projects for each one.

Cooperation with China gives Pakistan access to training, spacecraft, a space station and technical collaboration. The astronaut programme and lunar rover could strengthen research experience and inspire students. Pakistan is also proposing its first Space Museum at the University of Narowal, aiming to encourage careers in space science and technology.

A safe lunar mission needs a launch vehicle, spacecraft and reliable navigation. For a landing, a vehicle must slow down, guide itself toward the surface and touch down without dangerous impact. It also needs communications with Earth, power, thermal protection and systems that can keep equipment operating through the lunar environment.

An operating rover needs cameras or other sensors, computers, wheels or mobility systems, and autonomous navigation. The article gives one example: Pakistan’s planned rover would use artificial intelligence-based stereo imaging to detect obstacles and estimate distances. A crewed mission additionally needs life support, radiation protection, spacesuits, crew training and systems for emergencies.

To return people or equipment, a mission needs a lunar ascent vehicle or another departure system, a spacecraft capable of leaving lunar orbit, and a controlled Earth re-entry and landing system. The article does not state that Pakistan possesses these capabilities. Its current crewed mission instead relies on China’s spacecraft, launch facilities and training.