Pakistan successfully launched a remote sensing satellite from a launch center in China on Thursday that aims to strengthen agricultural monitoring and disaster management of Pakistan, among other capabilities, according to a statement from foreigners.
Pakistan has maintained strong bilateral relations with China, which have supported it through many development investments and projects such as the Chinese-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), called “lifeguards” for the country’s economy.
“In an important milestone for space exploration and technological progress, Pakistan today successfully launched its remote sensing satellite of the Xichang Satellite Langering Center (XSLC) in China,” said a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The satellite was launched by the National Space Agency of Pakistan, the Pakistan Space Research Commission and the upper atmosphere (Supparco), in collaboration with the Chinese Corporation Electronics Technology Group (CETC) and Microsat China, according to the Ministry.
According to the statement, the satellite “will provide high -resolution images, 24 hours, significantly strengthening Pakistan’s abilities in urban planning, infrastructure development, disaster management and mitigation, agricultural monitoring, food security, environmental protection, deforestation monitoring, climate change analysis and water resources management.”
The ministry said the satellite represented a “cornerstone of an integrated earth observation system.”
“With this last success, Pakistan reaffirms its position among the community of space nations, taking advantage of innovation to follow a safer, sustainable and prosperous future,” he added.
Vice -Prime Minister Ishaq praised the dedication of engineers, scientists and technical teams of Supparco, CETC and Microsat China for their “exemplary cooperation and unwavering commitment to the mission.”
The Minister of Planning, Ahsan Iqbal, also congratulated the nation and the Supparco team for the successful launch of the satellite.
“We are deeply grateful to China for their unwavering support and cooperation in this project,” he said.
He confirmed that the satellite had successfully entered in his designated orbit and would soon begin to deliver data.
“We are committed to restor Pakistan’s leadership in space technology,” Iqbal added. “With China’s help, we plan to send a Pakistani astronaut to space next year. By 2035, we will also successfully complete our lunar and land mission on the moon.”
The president of Supparco, Mohammad Yousaf Khan, said that the new satellite would serve national priorities and “contribute significantly” to Pakistan’s sustainable socioeconomic development.
China’s space program has advanced rapidly over the years, achieving milestones such as the Tiangong Space Station and the Lunar Sample Return missions. Its Beidou satellite system and its development of reusable rockets underline a growing technological skill.
In April, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed Pakistan’s desire to improve cooperation with China in the field of space technology, adding that China remained the “most reliable and strategic partner” in the country.
In May, Pakistan became the first foreign nation to join the training program at the China Space Station, sending two astronauts to train under a historical agreement with the China Manitized Space Agency.
