ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s first satellite mission to the moon, iCube Qamar, is set to be launched on board China’s Chang’E6 from Hainan, China, today.
Pakistan’s maiden moon satellite mission, iCube Qamar, is poised for launch aboard China’s Chang’E6 from Hainan, China, today. Dr. Khurram Khurshid, a Core Committee member at the Institute of Space Technology (IST), revealed that the satellite is scheduled to embark on its space odyssey at 2:18 pm Pakistan time.
The launch proceedings will be broadcast live on the IST website at 12:50 pm. Dr. Khurshid elaborated that the satellite is expected to reach lunar orbit within five days, where it will conduct a three to six-month exploration, capturing images of the moon’s surface for research purposes.
Developed jointly by IST, Shanghai University of China, and Pakistan’s national space agency SUPARCO, the ICUBE-Q orbiter is equipped with two optical cameras for surface imaging.
This collaboration marks a significant milestone in Pakistan’s space endeavors, aligning with China’s Chang’e6 mission aimed at lunar exploration and sample collection from the far side of the moon. The inclusion of Pakistan’s CubeSat satellite, iCube-Q, underscores the country’s burgeoning presence in space technology, utilizing miniature satellites known for their versatility and standard design.
CubeSats, with their compact size and modular components, serve diverse scientific, technological, and educational objectives in space exploration.