Despite high debt, Pakistan plans Moon landing by 2035. Why China holds the key to its dream
Pakistan plans to send its first astronaut aboard a Chinese spacecraft on 25 November. The mission anchors Islamabad's 2035 lunar target despite severe economic pressures.
- Oct 21, 2026,
- Updated Oct 21, 2026 12:54 PM IST
Pakistan is reaching for the Moon with an ambitious plan to land there by 2035, even as rising inflation, poverty and public debt strain the country’s finances. Its first astronaut is also set to travel into space aboard a Chinese spacecraft, highlighting Beijing’s central role in Islamabad’s space ambitions.
Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said Pakistan’s first astronaut would undertake a mission from a Chinese space centre on 25 November, according to Dawn. He expressed confidence that cooperation with China would help advance Pakistan’s space programme, although the mission will depend heavily on Chinese infrastructure, technology and expertise.
Pakistan astronaut to fly as payload specialist
The astronaut will fly aboard a Chinese-built spacecraft launched from a Chinese facility after training with Chinese instructors, the report said. The selected candidate will serve as a “payload specialist”, conducting scientific experiments in orbit rather than piloting the spacecraft.
A Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission official quoted by Reuters said the astronaut would also be expected to communicate in Mandarin while in space. The flight will mark a milestone for Pakistan’s space programme while demonstrating its reliance on China’s technological capabilities.
China’s role in Pakistan’s space programme
Pakistan’s planned human spaceflight is the latest development in a partnership with China dating to 1990, when their cooperation included the launch of Pakistan’s Badr-I experimental satellite, according to Space Cluster.
China has since supported Pakistan’s communication and Earth-observation missions, including the Paksat series, Paksat-1R, Paksat MM1 and PRSS-1. In 2024, Pakistan’s ICUBE-Q lunar CubeSat travelled aboard China’s Chang’e-6 mission, which returned samples from the Moon’s far side.
How Pakistan plans to reach the Moon five years before India
Pakistan plans to contribute a domestically built lunar rover to China’s Chang’e-8 mission, expected around 2028. According to the report, the project could allow Pakistan to demonstrate its engineering capabilities while participating in a Chinese-led lunar exploration programme. This cooperation is expected to support Islamabad’s target of a lunar landing by 2035.
The target is five years ahead of India’s planned crewed lunar landing. ISRO Chairman V Narayanan has said India aims to land its citizens on the Moon and bring them back safely by 2040. Before that, India is targeting the first quarter of 2027 for the Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission.
Space plans face economic constraints
Pakistan’s plans come amid high public debt, poverty and dependence on external financial assistance. Stabilisation measures and support from the International Monetary Fund have addressed some immediate pressures, but structural weaknesses continue to restrict public spending and long-term investment.
Government data showed headline inflation at 7.1%, while national poverty was estimated at 28.9%, affecting about 70 million people, according to ANI. Pakistan is nevertheless preparing for its first human spaceflight with Chinese support while pursuing a lunar landing by 2035.
Pakistan is reaching for the Moon with an ambitious plan to land there by 2035, even as rising inflation, poverty and public debt strain the country’s finances. Its first astronaut is also set to travel into space aboard a Chinese spacecraft, highlighting Beijing’s central role in Islamabad’s space ambitions.
Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said Pakistan’s first astronaut would undertake a mission from a Chinese space centre on 25 November, according to Dawn. He expressed confidence that cooperation with China would help advance Pakistan’s space programme, although the mission will depend heavily on Chinese infrastructure, technology and expertise.
Pakistan astronaut to fly as payload specialist
The astronaut will fly aboard a Chinese-built spacecraft launched from a Chinese facility after training with Chinese instructors, the report said. The selected candidate will serve as a “payload specialist”, conducting scientific experiments in orbit rather than piloting the spacecraft.
A Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission official quoted by Reuters said the astronaut would also be expected to communicate in Mandarin while in space. The flight will mark a milestone for Pakistan’s space programme while demonstrating its reliance on China’s technological capabilities.
China’s role in Pakistan’s space programme
Pakistan’s planned human spaceflight is the latest development in a partnership with China dating to 1990, when their cooperation included the launch of Pakistan’s Badr-I experimental satellite, according to Space Cluster.
China has since supported Pakistan’s communication and Earth-observation missions, including the Paksat series, Paksat-1R, Paksat MM1 and PRSS-1. In 2024, Pakistan’s ICUBE-Q lunar CubeSat travelled aboard China’s Chang’e-6 mission, which returned samples from the Moon’s far side.
How Pakistan plans to reach the Moon five years before India
Pakistan plans to contribute a domestically built lunar rover to China’s Chang’e-8 mission, expected around 2028. According to the report, the project could allow Pakistan to demonstrate its engineering capabilities while participating in a Chinese-led lunar exploration programme. This cooperation is expected to support Islamabad’s target of a lunar landing by 2035.
The target is five years ahead of India’s planned crewed lunar landing. ISRO Chairman V Narayanan has said India aims to land its citizens on the Moon and bring them back safely by 2040. Before that, India is targeting the first quarter of 2027 for the Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission.
Space plans face economic constraints
Pakistan’s plans come amid high public debt, poverty and dependence on external financial assistance. Stabilisation measures and support from the International Monetary Fund have addressed some immediate pressures, but structural weaknesses continue to restrict public spending and long-term investment.
Government data showed headline inflation at 7.1%, while national poverty was estimated at 28.9%, affecting about 70 million people, according to ANI. Pakistan is nevertheless preparing for its first human spaceflight with Chinese support while pursuing a lunar landing by 2035.