Pakistan plans to land a spacecraft on the Moon by 2035, despite beginning its space research programme almost a decade earlier than India, according to Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, as reported by Geo News. The announcement comes at a time when Pakistan is grappling with the upsurge of terrorist attacks, weak infrastructure, and economic instability.&nbsp;Iqbal emphasised the need for deeper reliance on China to bridge gaps in its space and nuclear programs. His statement came while speaking during a meeting in Beijing with Chinese officials, including Shan Zhongde, Head of China's Atomic Energy Authority and Space Agency, Geo News reported.&nbsp;The responsibility for the lunar mission lies with Pakistan's Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), which has yet to independently launch any satellite or space mission, particularly without Chinese assistance.&nbsp;As part of its collaboration with China, Pakistan will contribute a 35-kilogram lunar rover for the Chang'e-8 mission in 2028. The rover will explore the south pole of the Moon, and it will conduct scientific experiments, analyse terrain, and assess resource utilisation.<h3>Pakistan’s reliance on China</h3>This partnership highlights Pakistan’s heavy dependence on the technology and expertise of China, which shows its limited independent capabilities.&nbsp;Along with space, Pakistan has also increased its dependency on China in nuclear energy and advanced technologies such as the quantum computing sector, where it has negligible capacity to build indigenously. This shows Beijing acting as the driving force behind the scientific and technological ambitions of Pakistan.&nbsp;Meanwhile, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has made a significant leapfrog as compared to Pakistan, with some of the famous successful missions, which include the lunar mission Chandrayaan and the Mars mission (Mangalyaan). ISRO is also preparing for its first human spaceflight mission, Gaganyaan, which is scheduled for launch in early 2027.

Pakistan will contribute a 35-kilogram lunar rover for the Chang'e-8 mission in 2028. The rover will explore the south pole of the Moon, conducting scientific experiments, analysing terrain, and assessing resource utilisation.

Pakistan plans to land a spacecraft on the Moon by 2035, despite beginning its space research programme almost a decade earlier than India, according to Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, as reported by Geo News. The announcement comes at a time when Pakistan is grappling with the upsurge of terrorist attacks, weak infrastructure, and economic instability. Iqbal emphasised the need for deeper reliance on China to bridge gaps in its space and nuclear programs. His statement came while speaking during a meeting in Beijing with Chinese officials, including Shan Zhongde, Head of China's Atomic Energy Authority and Space Agency, Geo News reported. The responsibility for the lunar mission lies with Pakistan's Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), which has yet to independently launch any satellite or space mission, particularly without Chinese assistance. As part of its collaboration with China, Pakistan will contribute a 35-kilogram lunar rover for the Chang'e-8 mission in 2028. The rover will explore the south pole of the Moon, and it will conduct scientific experiments, analyse terrain, and assess resource utilisation. Pakistan’s reliance on China This partnership highlights Pakistan’s heavy dependence on the technology and expertise of China, which shows its limited independent capabilities. Along with space, Pakistan has also increased its dependency on China in nuclear energy and advanced technologies such as the quantum computing sector, where it has negligible capacity to build indigenously. This shows Beijing acting as the driving force behind the scientific and technological ambitions of Pakistan. Meanwhile, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has made a significant leapfrog as compared to Pakistan, with some of the famous successful missions, which include the lunar mission Chandrayaan and the Mars mission (Mangalyaan). ISRO is also preparing for its first human spaceflight mission, Gaganyaan, which is scheduled for launch in early 2027.

Pakistan will contribute a 35-kilogram lunar rover for the Chang'e-8 mission in 2028. The rover will explore the south pole of the Moon, conducting scientific experiments, analysing terrain, and assessing resource utilisation.

Pakistan's lunar dream: Islamabad aims for its first mission by 2035 with China’s help

Pakistan is set to launch an ambitious space programme during the next fiscal year with an aim to keep an eye on the Indian side and reduce its dependence on foreign satellites for civil and military purposes, according to a media report.

Several projects will be initiated to develop self-reliance capacity and reduce dependence on foreign satellites, mainly the US and French satellites for civil and military communications.

The budget of the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Organisation (Suparco) for the upcoming fiscal year 2018-19 is Rs 4.70 billion which includes Rs 2.55 billion for three new projects, Dawn News reported.

Suparco has been regularly conducting activities each year to increase awareness of space technology and to promote its peaceful usage amongst students and the masses in Pakistan since 2005.

The funding includes allocation of Rs 1.35 billion for Pakistan Multi-Mission Satellite (PakSat- MM1) and the country is also planning to establish Pakistan Space Centre in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad with the allocation of Rs 1 billion.&nbsp

The third project is an establishment of Space Application Research Centre in Karachi with the budget of Rs 200 million in 2018-19, the report said.

The total cost of PakSat-MM1 is Rs 27.57 billion and that of the space centres is Rs 26.91 billion, it added.&nbsp

Advanced space programme is the need of time not only due to growing demand from the civil communications, including the GPS, mobile telephony and the internet but due to changing scenario in the region also, analysts have said.

"There are two unusual developments in the region affecting the strategic situation - first of all, Pakistan has to keep an eye on the Indian side and previously their programme had limited quality advancements but now the US has active cooperation with the Indian satellite programme," Maria Sultan, a defence analyst said.&nbsp

The programme aims to reduce the country's dependence on foreign satellites for civil & military purposes.

Pakistan is set to launch an ambitious space programme during the next fiscal year with an aim to keep an eye on the Indian side and reduce its dependence on foreign satellites for civil and military purposes, according to a media report. Several projects will be initiated to develop self-reliance capacity and reduce dependence on foreign satellites, mainly the US and French satellites for civil and military communications. The budget of the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Organisation (Suparco) for the upcoming fiscal year 2018-19 is Rs 4.70 billion which includes Rs 2.55 billion for three new projects, Dawn News reported. Suparco has been regularly conducting activities each year to increase awareness of space technology and to promote its peaceful usage amongst students and the masses in Pakistan since 2005. The funding includes allocation of Rs 1.35 billion for Pakistan Multi-Mission Satellite (PakSat- MM1) and the country is also planning to establish Pakistan Space Centre in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad with the allocation of Rs 1 billion. The third project is an establishment of Space Application Research Centre in Karachi with the budget of Rs 200 million in 2018-19, the report said. The total cost of PakSat-MM1 is Rs 27.57 billion and that of the space centres is Rs 26.91 billion, it added. Advanced space programme is the need of time not only due to growing demand from the civil communications, including the GPS, mobile telephony and the internet but due to changing scenario in the region also, analysts have said. "There are two unusual developments in the region affecting the strategic situation - first of all, Pakistan has to keep an eye on the Indian side and previously their programme had limited quality advancements but now the US has active cooperation with the Indian satellite programme," Maria Sultan, a defence analyst said.

Pakistan set to launch space programme to keep an eye on Indian side: Report

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