Скачать или смотреть China to train and select Pakistani astronaut for future mission to space station

(30 Oct 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center – 30 October 30, 2025
1. Wide of launch pad at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center
2. Close of a sign with Chinese characters that reads “launch”
3. Zoom in shot of the launch pad
4. News conference of experts
5. SOUNDBITE (Mandarin): Han Pei, Senior Engineer of Technology and Engineering Center for Space Utilization, Chinese Academy of Sciences:
"During the in-orbit period, multi-dimensional video imaging will be used to monitor the spatial behavior of mice, in order to study how space environments such as weightlessness and confinement affect their behavioral patterns. This will help us master key technologies for the breeding and monitoring of small mammals in space and make preliminary assessment on the mice’s emergency responses and adaptive changes in space environments."
6. Tilt down of launch pad
7. SOUNDBITE (Mandarin): Zhou Yaqiang, senior engineer, China Manned Space Agency:
"At present, we are also preparing training programs, instructional tools, and living support arrangements for Pakistani astronauts who will come to China for training. Once the selection is finalized, according to the mission plan, one of the Pakistani personnel will be assigned to carry out a short-term space station flight mission as a payload expert in line with subsequent arrangements."
8. Close of flag
9. Wide of launch pad
STORYLINE:
China’s Manned Space Agency on Thursday said it would train and select Pakistani astronauts in view of a future mission to the Chinese Tiangong space station.

Zhou Yaqiang, a senior engineer at the agency, said it was preparing training programs, and that one Pakistani astronaut would be selected as a payload expert for a forthcoming short-term mission to the station.

China is preparing to send up its latest rotation of astronauts who make up part of the ongoing mission to complete the space station, part of its broader space exploration plans.

Each team is expected to stay in orbit for six months, conducting research.

The upcoming launch for the Shenzhou-21 mission is scheduled for Friday.

The latest crew joining others on the Tiangong, or “Heavenly Palace”, station will be made up of Zhang Lu, Wu Fei and Zhang Hongzhang.

Zhang was previously part of the Shenzhou 15 mission to the station.

For Wu and Zhang, this will be their first time in space.

China began work on the Tiangong after it was excluded from the International Space Station over U.S. national security concerns over the Chinese space program's direct link to the People’s Liberation Army.

The agency on Thursday also said the Shenzhou-21 mission would carry four mice into space to study the effects of weightlessness and confinement on the animals.

It said the research would enable technologies for the breeding and monitoring of small mammals in space, and their adaptive changes.

Two male and two female mice will be brought to space.

AP video by Borg Wong

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