Pakistan schedules first astronaut launch to Tiangong for Nov 25, joins Chang'e-8 rover work
Announcements 18 October also set a 2035 target for a Pakistani lunar landing with Chinese support.
By Luisa Marconi · 10dISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Oct 18, 2026 - Pakistan will launch its first astronaut to China’s Tiangong space station on 25 November.
The country will also collaborate on an AI-enabled lunar rover for China’s Chang’e-8 mission, expected to fly in 2028. Pakistan operates no independent crewed launch capability, and is fully dependent on China for the upcoming astronaut mission.
Officials have additionally set a target for Pakistan to conduct its own lunar landing by 2035, with support from the same bilateral cooperation.
Space Nugget. Tiangong is China's space station in low Earth orbit. Countries without their own crewed rockets fly astronauts through partnerships with nations that have them.
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