What Happened
China Expands Space Station Access to Foreign Nationals
China is set to carry a foreigner to its space station for the first time, with a Pakistani astronaut joining the Shenzhou-24 crew as a payload specialist. The mission, which will also mark the first joint flight with Chinese and foreign astronauts in China’s manned-space program, is a result of a bilateral agreement between China and Pakistan signed in February 2025. The astronaut will spend a short duration in orbit and return to Earth on Shenzhou-23. This development was first reported by Reuters, Space, and Spaceflight Now.