Pakistan on Thursday successfully launched a state-of-the-art remote sensing satellite into orbit from China’s Xichang Satellite Launch Centre.
The launch took place at 7:38am Pakistan Standard Time, in the presence of senior officials from the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO).
The event was broadcast live from SUPARCO’s headquarters in Karachi, underscoring the national significance of the occasion.
According to officials, the satellite is equipped with advanced electro-optical and hyperspectral sensors capable of providing real-time data for a range of applications including disaster prediction, agricultural assessment, environmental monitoring, and urban development.
“This is a landmark achievement in Pakistan’s space journey,” said the Director General of SPARC, calling the launch a “major breakthrough” that will support national development and improve disaster resilience. “It will not only help us in effective disaster management but also in food security, infrastructure planning and climate response.”
The satellite is expected to bolster the country’s capacity to issue early warnings for natural disasters such as floods, landslides and earthquakes, which have historically taken a heavy toll on lives and livelihoods. Its capabilities will also extend to crop monitoring and assessment, particularly aiding food security efforts amid changing climate patterns.
Officials said the satellite will also be instrumental in tracking infrastructure expansion, especially projects linked to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), giving authorities a more comprehensive and real-time view of progress and compliance.
The latest launch builds upon Pakistan’s earlier efforts in space technology. In 2018, the country launched its first remote sensing satellite, PRSS-1, along with the Pakistan Technology Evaluation Satellite (PakTES-1A), both of which provided valuable experience that informed the current mission. More recently, the EO-1 electro-optical satellite was launched, further expanding Pakistan’s presence in low Earth orbit.
