China has successfully launched Pakistan’s PRSC‑EO3 satellite from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre in Shanxi Province on Saturday night.

The launch took place at 8:15 p.m. Beijing time, with the satellite carried into orbit by a Long March‑6 rocket. According to China’s state‑run Xinhua news agency, the satellite entered its planned orbit without issue.

This marks the fourth Pakistani satellite placed into orbit by China since last year, underscoring the deepening of their space cooperation. Three Pakistani satellites were launched in 2025, and the latest addition further broadens the scope of the all‑weather alliance between the two countries into the space domain.

In parallel with satellite cooperation, Pakistan has also taken steps towards human spaceflight collaboration with China. Two Pakistani astronauts arrived in Beijing on 24 April to begin astronaut training.

They joined the Astronaut Centre of China on Friday to train alongside their Chinese counterparts. The China Manned Space Agency confirmed that upon completing the required training and passing assessments, one of the two will participate in a space mission as a payload specialist.

This individual will become the first foreign astronaut to board China’s Tiangong space station, which is currently in orbit.

These developments highlight the expanding partnership between China and Pakistan, extending beyond trade, finance, and security into advanced space exploration and human spaceflight.

The launch of PRSC‑EO3 and the training of Pakistani astronauts represent significant milestones in the bilateral relationship, signalling a new phase of cooperation in high‑technology domains.

PTI