China launched Pakistan’s PRSC-EO3 satellite from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre in Shanxi Province on Saturday night, marking another milestone in their growing space partnership.
The Long March-6 rocket lifted off at 8:15 p.m. Beijing time and successfully placed the satellite into its planned orbit.
This marks the fourth Pakistani satellite launched by China since last year, following three successful missions in 2025. The launch underscores the deepening all-weather alliance between the two nations, now extending into advanced space collaboration.
The PRSC-EO3 satellite adds to Pakistan’s expanding space capabilities, with China providing both technical support and launch services. Officials highlighted the mission as part of broader cooperation in science and technology.
In a parallel development, two Pakistanis arrived in Beijing on April 24 to begin astronaut training at the Astronaut Centre of China. One of them is expected to become the first foreign astronaut to board China’s Tiangong space station after completing training and assessments. The China Manned Space Agency confirmed that the selected astronaut will serve as a payload specialist during a future mission.
