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

Pakistan aims to land on the Moon by 2035 as it expands its space programme, planning minister Ahsan Iqbal said on Sunday, announcing that the country's first astronaut would embark on a space mission from China on November 25. Addressing the concluding ceremony of World Space Week 2026 in Narowal district of Punjab province, Iqbal said cooperation with China would help Pakistan advance its space exploration ambitions. Pakistan’s “first astronaut will embark on a space mission from China’s space centre on November 25, while the country aims to achieve a lunar landing by 2035,” he said, according to news agency PTI. The minister highlighted the growing role of space technology in agriculture, communications, climate monitoring, education and national security. He stressed that scientific research and space exploration were important for technological advancement.

The upcoming mission is part of wider cooperation between Pakistan and China in space science and technology. According to Reuters, two Pakistani candidates, pilots Khurram Daud and Muhammad Zeeshan Ali, have been undergoing training in China, with one expected to be selected for the flight. The selected astronaut will serve as a payload specialist aboard China's Tiangong space station, conducting scientific experiments rather than operating the spacecraft, Reuters reported last month. Pakistan's space agency, the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), signed an agreement with the China Manned Space Agency in February 2025 to prepare a Pakistani astronaut for the mission, according to The Express Tribune. The two candidates had been training at the China Astronaut Research and Training Centre in Beijing, learning spacecraft systems, Mandarin and the physical demands of spaceflight. The mission is expected to last about a week. The astronaut will travel aboard a Chinese spacecraft launched from China and return to Earth with members of a Chinese crew. Pakistan does not have an independent launch vehicle or crewed spacecraft, making the mission dependent on China's space infrastructure and training facilities.

Beyond the human spaceflight programme, Pakistan and China are collaborating on a Pakistani-built lunar rover planned for China's Chang'e-8 mission, expected around 2028. The rover is intended to use artificial intelligence-based stereo imaging to identify obstacles, assess distances and navigate the lunar surface autonomously, as direct real-time control from Earth would not be possible. However, Pakistan's participation in the lunar rover project is separate from its stated ambition to land on the Moon by 2035. According to Reuters, a Pakistani space agency official last month had said there was no official commitment or discussion about sending a Pakistani astronaut to the Moon under the existing partnership.

Iqbal was speaking at the conclusion of World Space Week 2026, which was celebrated in Narowal for the first time in collaboration with SUPARCO. The event aimed to raise awareness among young people about space science, scientific research and modern technology. The minister also announced plans to establish Pakistan's first Space Museum at the University of Narowal to promote scientific awareness and encourage students to pursue careers in space science and technology. He said improved access to higher education was allowing students who had previously faced financial barriers to perform well academically. Iqbal congratulated the University of Narowal on securing first position at the Islamabad Science Festival, saying the achievement reflected the talent and potential of Pakistan's youth. The minister said the proposed museum would further encourage young people to explore scientific fields and pursue opportunities in space research and technology.

India has also been advancing its space programme, with plans to send astronauts into orbit, establish its own space station and land an Indian on the Moon by 2040. According to the Union government’s roadmap outlined in Parliament in August, the first uncrewed Gaganyaan mission, carrying the humanoid robot Vyommitra, is targeted for the fourth quarter of 2026. Two further uncrewed missions are planned before India attempts its first crewed orbital flight, targeted by 2027. India also plans to establish the Bharatiya Antariksh Station by 2035. The proposed station will comprise five modules, with the development and launch of its first module already approved. The longer-term goal is to send an Indian astronaut to the Moon by 2040. Other planned missions include Chandrayaan-4, which is intended to demonstrate technologies for returning lunar samples to Earth, and a Venus Orbiter Mission to study the planet’s surface, subsurface and atmosphere. These projects form part of India’s broader Space Vision 2047, which aims to expand its human spaceflight capabilities and deepen its role in space exploration.