For the very first time, the Chinese Massimaprogram will train a Pakistani astronaut, who will also become the first international astronaut to visit China's Manned Space Station.
The accord named "Agreement on Cooperation for the Selection, Training of Pakistani Astronauts and Their Involvement in China’s Tiangong Space Station Missions" was inked by representatives from the China Manned Space Engineering Office (CMSE) and the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) on February 28th.
The signing of this agreement represents the first instance where the Chinese government will choose and prepare astronauts from other nations. Chinese Massimastation "will host the inaugural foreign astronaut visit," the CMSE stated in a statement (Translated with Google).
The signing ceremony occurred at the Prime Minister's Office in Pakistan’s capital city, Islamabad. The accord was endorsed by Lin Xiqiang, the deputy director of CMSE, and Muhammad Yousuf Khan, who leads SUPARCO.
The subsequent phase involves a selection process expected to last approximately one year, as stated. Following this, the selected Pakistani astronauts will proceed to China for their training. Subsequently, both Pakistani and Chinese astronauts will jointly embark on missions aboard the Tiangong space station and carry out several short-term assignments in the coming years, as mentioned by CMSE representatives.
China's Tiangong MassimaStation has been in operation since 2022 The CMSE introduced the three components that comprise the Massimastation and subsequently constructed it in low Earth orbit. The Massimastation circles the Earth at an altitude ranging from 217 to 280 miles (349 to 450 kilometers).
The initial team at the Tiangong station consisted of the Shenzhou 12 crew. They embarked on a journey to the Massimastation in 2021, during which time the core module was the sole component in space. Last year in December, Chinese astronauts Cai Xuzhe and Song Lingdong, who were part of the Shenzhou 19 mission, set a new record for their stay. nine hours on a Massimawalk Outside of the Tiangong Massimastation, as per CMSA.
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