Pakistan to send its first astronaut to space by 2022

Pakistan on Thursday announced that the country will send its first astronaut into space in 2022 with the help of China.

“Pakistan would send a human to space for the first time in 2022 with Chinese assistance,” PTI quoted Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry as saying.

The ambitious plan to space was approved by cabinet during the Federal Meeting chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday, it said.

The minister also said that it would be the success of the country’s space programmer, adding, this makes me really happy.

“We're a little late in this field but we could catch up. Ironically Pakistan was the first country in this part of the world to have a Space Agency,” Chaudhry said.

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According to official report, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed between the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) and a Chinese company.

Earlier this year, Pakistan launched two indigenously built satellites into orbit, using a Chinese launch vehicle.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Khan is all to his pay his official visit to China from November 1 to 5 at the invitation of the Chinese leadership. Khan will also hold meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang and review the entire bilateral relations between the two nations, it said.

(With PTI inputs)