{"id":22568,"date":"2024-05-04T01:02:15","date_gmt":"2024-05-03T22:02:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/?p=22568"},"modified":"2024-05-04T01:11:46","modified_gmt":"2024-05-03T22:11:46","slug":"pakistan-launches-its-first-lunar-satellite-aboard-chinas-change-6-mission","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/pakistan-launches-its-first-lunar-satellite-aboard-chinas-change-6-mission\/","title":{"rendered":"Pakistan launches its first lunar satellite aboard China\u2019s Chang\u2019e-6 mission"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Pakistan launched its first lunar mission ICUBE-Q on May 3, 2024, aboard China\u2019s Chang\u2019e 6 lunar probe from the Wenchang Space Launch Site in Hainan province of China. Described as Pakistan\u2019s \u201cfirst step into space,\u201d the lunar mission marks a significant moment for Pakistan\u2019s space endeavors.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPakistan\u2019s historic lunar mission ICUBE-Qamar (ICUBE-Q) has been successfully launched today 3rd May 2024 at 1417hrs PST,\u201d according to a statement by the Institute of Space Technology (IST), which designed and developed ICUBE-Q in collaboration with a Chinese university and Pakistan\u2019s national space agency SUPARCO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The statement recognized and thanked the researchers and around 100 IST students for their significant contributions to the project.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"ICUBE-Q<\/a>
Around 100 students from Pakistan\u2019s Institute of Space Technology (IST) have contributed to developing the ICUBE-Q satellite in collaboration with China\u2019s Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU), with support from Pakistan\u2019s National Space Agency, SUPARCO. (Image Credit: IST)<\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

China\u2019s Chang\u2019e-6 lunar probe launch drew a distinguished audience, including scientists, diplomats, and space agency officials from France, Italy, Pakistan, and the European Space Agency, all of whom have contributed payloads for lunar study aboard Chang\u2019e-6, launched by China’s most powerful carrier rocket, the Long March 5. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chang\u2019e-6 carries four international payloads and satellites, including a radon detector from France, European Space Agency’s lunar surface ion composition analyzer, a laser angle reflector from Italy and a CubeSat from Pakistan, according to China National Space Administration (CNSA).<\/p>\n\n\n\n


Pakistan\u2019s first lunar satellite<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

China\u2019s Chang\u2019e-6 mission also carried a Pakistani lunar satellite, the ICUBE-Q<\/mark><\/a>, marking Pakistan\u2019s first step toward lunar exploration. Islamabad-based Institute of Space Technology (IST) announced that Pakistan’s “historic” lunar module iCube-Q has been developed in collaboration with China’s Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) and Pakistan’s national space agency SUPARCO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chairman of Pakistan\u2019s Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) Mohammad Yousuf Khan called the mission a \u201cmilestone\u201d for Pakistan, laying the groundwork for the development of space sciences in Pakistan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Congratulations! Pakistan\u2019s first ever moon satellite #ICUBEQ<\/a> has been successfully launched, riding the same rocket with China\u2019s #ChangE6<\/a> lunar probe. This is also the 1st \ud83c\udde8\ud83c\uddf3\ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\uddf0 cooperation on lunar exploration. We look forward to more in the near future! @PresOfPakistan<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/GUHE5Fja3f<\/a><\/p>— Chinese Emb Pakistan (@CathayPak) May 3, 2024<\/a><\/blockquote>