Pakistan to send Jinnah-1 lunar rover to Moon

Please enable JavaScript for the best SAMAA TV experience.

Note: For enhanced search features, please enable JavaScript.

SUPARCO chairman says Pakistan is using satellites for agriculture, planning and disaster management

Pakistan is making progress in its space programme, with the country preparing its first indigenous lunar rover for a future Moon mission and expanding the use of satellite technology across multiple sectors.

Addressing a World Space Week Pakistan event, SUPARCO Chairman Muhammad Yousaf Khan said Pakistan’s satellites were being used for applications including agriculture, urban planning and disaster management.

He also highlighted the country’s plans for lunar exploration and human spaceflight in collaboration with China.

According to the SUPARCO chairman, work has begun on Pakistan’s first lunar rover, Jinnah-1, with plans for the rover to travel to the Moon as part of China’s Chang’e-8 mission.

SUPARCO’s official programme currently lists the rover mission for 2028, while the agency’s August announcement said Jinnah-1 is scheduled to be launched aboard Chang’e-8 and deployed at the lunar south pole.

The rover is being developed to conduct scientific research on the lunar surface, including studies of lunar soil, terrain and the space environment. SUPARCO says the approximately 35-kilogram rover will also test technologies relevant to future lunar exploration.

Khan said Pakistan had expanded its satellite capabilities, with six Earth observation satellites supporting applications in agriculture, planning and disaster management.

SUPARCO says satellite-based remote sensing is used for monitoring agricultural resources, disaster management, water resources and environmental conditions.

Pakistan also launched its ICUBE-Qamar lunar satellite in May 2024 as part of China’s Chang’e-6 mission, marking the country’s first lunar-orbit mission.

SUPARCO has continued expanding its Earth-observation fleet, with its website describing the EO-2 satellite launched in 2026 as Pakistan’s second indigenous Earth-observation satellite and the sixth satellite in the national Earth-observation fleet.

Pakistan is also preparing for its first astronaut mission to China’s space station.

Two Pakistani candidates are undergoing training in China, with one expected to be selected for the mission after the training process. The selected astronaut will serve as a scientific payload specialist and conduct experiments aboard the China Space Station.

SUPARCO says the astronaut programme was established through an agreement with the China Manned Space Agency, under which two Pakistani candidates would undergo training before one is selected for a future mission.

Reuters reported in September that Zeeshan Ali and Khurram Daud were undergoing training in Beijing, with the final selection expected in October 2026.

IHC hears plea seeking social media curbs for under-16s

WhatsApp gives parents more control over teen accounts

Gemini 4 Argon targets coding and defensive cybersecurity