Posted: Sun, Mar 1, 2026, 12:01 PM ET (1701 GMT)
A Chinese astronaut will spend a year in space on the Tiangong space station to allow a flight by a Pakistani astronaut. Chinese officials said Friday that one astronaut from the upcoming Shenzhou-23 mission will spend a year in space to gain data on human health and performance over an extended spaceflight. That would appear to allow China to fly a Pakistani astronaut on the Shenzhou-24 mission late this year, with that astronaut returning days later on Shenzhou-23. Together, the one-year mission and international astronaut plans indicate a shift in China's operational practices and reinforce earlier statements on long-duration missions and international cooperation through Tiangong.

Related Links:

•  SpaceNews article
•  Xinhua article