Pakistan joins Moon race: First lunar rover Jinnah-1 set to fly with China in 2029
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Pakistan joins Moon race: First lunar rover Jinnah-1 set to fly with China in 2029")
Photograph: (ANI)
Pakistan has announced that its first lunar rover, Jinnah-1, will travel to the Moon's south pole aboard China's Chang’e-8 mission in 2029 to conduct scientific research and support the country's growing space programme.
Pakistan has announced plans to send its first lunar rover, Jinnah-1, to the Moon in 2029 with China's support, marking a major step in Islamabad's space exploration programme. The Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) announced the name on Thursday.
The rover will travel aboard China's Chang’e-8 mission and conduct scientific research at the Moon's south pole. Suparco selected the name through a nationwide competition that received around 4,000 entries. Seven participants suggested "Jinnah-1", with the final winner chosen through a lucky draw. Tayyab Karim, a 17-year-old from Bahawalnagar, won the competition for proposing the name.
The space agency said the name honours Pakistan's founder, Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, and reflects the country's “resolve, progress and new space horizons”.
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Jinnah-1 to explore Moon's south pole
Jinnah-1 is scheduled to reach the Moon aboard China's Chang’e-8 mission in 2029. The mission forms part of Beijing's wider lunar exploration programme and will focus on the Moon's south polar region.
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The south polar region has emerged as a major target for lunar exploration because of the possibility of water ice in permanently shadowed areas.
Pakistan's participation will allow its scientists and engineers to gain experience in lunar robotics, planetary science and operations beyond Earth.
According to Suparco, Jinnah-1 will study plasma, radiation and the geology of the lunar surface. It will also conduct experiments related to future lunar research and the possibility of human activity on the Moon.
Suparco announced its collaboration with China's Chang'e-8 mission in 2024 and described the agreement as a major milestone for Pakistan's space programme, Gulf News reported.
The planned 2029 mission will mark Pakistan's participation in lunar scientific research through the Jinnah-1 rover.
Meanwhile, Veteran journalist, author and former Minister of State for External Affairs MJ Akbar took a sharp jibe at Pakistan's entry into the Moon race, saying the "Jinnah-1" rover could spell trouble for the universe "as Jinnah may attempt to partition the moon", referring to Pakistan's founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah's role in the Partition of India in 1947.
