ISLAMABAD: The Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) has announced a nationwide competition to name Pakistan’s first lunar rover mission, offering a cash prize of Rs100,000 for the best entry.
Pakistan is set to achieve a major milestone in space exploration, with the country’s first lunar rover mission scheduled for launch in 2028.
Last year in May, Pakistan’s satellite, iCube-Qamar, was launched aboard China’s Chang’e-6 mission to orbit the Moon. The satellite, developed by the Institute of Space Technology in collaboration with Shanghai University and SUPARCO, made Pakistan the sixth country to send a satellite into lunar orbit.
The iCube-Qamar, equipped with two optical cameras, is part of a historic mission aimed at collecting samples from the Moon’s far side. Its successful launch from China’s Wenchang Space Centre was met with celebrations at SUPARCO’s command centre, where officials and scientists cheered the achievement.
Earlier on January 17, Pakistan launched its first home-made observation satellite from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in northern China.
According to Pakistan’s space agency, the PRSC-EO1 satellite will boost Pakistan’s ability to monitor and manage natural resources, respond to disasters, and improve urban planning and agricultural development.
This type of satellite uses electro-optical sensors to collect data and images of the Earth’s surface by detecting and measuring reflected sunlight or emitted radiation.
China’s Long March-2D carrier rocket also launched on January 17 two other satellites, Tianlu-1 and Blue Carbon 1, into orbit along with the PRSC EO1, China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation said in a statement.
“Spearheaded by SUPARCO, this demonstrates our nation’s growing capabilities in space science and technology,” said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Currently valued at $5 billion, the earth observation satellite market is among the fastest growing sectors within the commercial space industry, with Novaspace predicting it to exceed $8 billion by 2033.
Countries including the United States, China and India have been building their own government and private satellite constellations to map the Earth. Indian startup Pixxel this month launched the country’s first privately built satellite constellation.