Pakistan, April 23 -- Pakistan has started selecting two astronauts for its first-ever manned space mission, set to launch with China. The astronauts will be part of a joint flight to the Tiangong Space Station, confirmed China's Manned Space (CMSA).

This mission follows Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's February announcement of Pakistan's partnership with China in space exploration. Earlier this month, Pakistan's space SUPARCO also invited proposals for scientific experiments to be conducted aboard the space station.

According to CMSA spokesperson Lin Xiqiang, the astronaut selection will happen in three phases. The first phase will be in Pakistan, while the final two stages will take place in China. The selected astronauts will act as p...