In a historic leap for Pakistan’s space ambitions, the country has successfully launched its first mission to the moon, named iCUBE Qamar. This groundbreaking endeavor was carried out in collaboration with China, marking a significant milestone in Pakistan’s space exploration journey.
The iCUBE Qamar satellite was launched aboard China’s Chang’E6 lunar probe from the Wenchang Space Launch Site in Hainan, China. The mission was designed and developed by the Institute of Space Technology (IST) in Islamabad, in partnership with Shanghai University and Pakistan’s national space agency, SUPARCO.
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Before iCUBE Qamar, Pakistan had embarked on several notable space missions:
>Badr-1 (1985): Pakistan’s first domestically manufactured satellite, marking the beginning of its space journey.
>Badr-B (2001): A follow-up to the initial Badr mission, continuing Pakistan’s presence in space.
>Paksat-1R (2011): A communications satellite launched with the assistance of China, fulfilling a longstanding ambition of Pakistan.
>PRSS-1 & PAK TES-1A (2018): Advanced satellites launched to enhance Pakistan’s capabilities in remote sensing and Earth observation.