China Launches Pakistan's PRSC-EO3 Satellite, Two Pakistani Astronauts Begin Training for Tiangong Station
Fourth Pakistani satellite launched by China since last year; one astronaut to become first foreign crew member on China's space station
Auf einen Blick
- China successfully launched Pakistan's PRSC-EO3 satellite from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre in Shanxi Province on Saturday night (April 18, 2026) using a Long March-6 carrier rocket.
- This marks the fourth Pakistani satellite China has launched since last year, expanding the all-weather China-Pakistan alliance into space cooperation.
- Additionally, two Pakistani astronauts arrived in Beijing on April 24 for training at the Astronaut Centre of China, with one set to become the first foreign astronaut aboard China's Tiangong space station.
KI-generierte Zusammenfassung
Warum es wichtig ist
China has been launching satellites for Pakistan in recent years, broadening their all-weather alliance into the space arena. This PRSC-EO3 launch represents the fourth Pakistani satellite launched by China since last year, following three launches in 2025. The astronaut training programme marks a significant expansion of bilateral space cooperation.
China launched a Pakistani satellite from its Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre in north China's Shanxi Province on Saturday night. The satellite named PRSC-EO3 was lifted off at 8:15 p.m. (Beijing Time) by a Long March-6 carrier rocket and successfully entered its planned orbit, China's state-run Xinhua news agency reported. This is the fourth Pakistani satellite launched by China since last year.
China launched three Pakistani satellites last year. China has been launching satellites for Pakistan in the last few years, broadening its all-weather alliance with Pakistan into the space arena.
Separately, two Pakistanis who were selected by Beijing for astronaut training to participate in China's space mission training arrived here on April 24. The astronauts reached the Astronaut Centre of China in Beijing on Friday to join training alongside their Chinese peers, the China Manned Space Agency announced.
Upon completing all required training and passing the assessments, one of the two will participate in a space mission as a payload specialist, becoming the first foreign astronaut to board China's Tiangong space station, currently in orbit.
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One Pakistani astronaut will complete training and board Tiangong space station as payload specialist
Sehr wahrscheinlich · Innerhalb von Monaten
China will continue launching more Pakistani satellites
Wahrscheinlich · Innerhalb von Monaten
Offene Fragen
- Which specific training programme will the Pakistani astronauts undergo?
- When is the expected mission to Tiangong space station?
- What specific Earth observation capabilities does PRSC-EO3 have?
