Pakistan, China join forces for lunar mission in 2028
This combined effort aims to enhance the mission’s capability to conduct detailed analyses of the lunar surface.
Pakistan and China have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) allowing Pakistan’s first lunar rover to be part of China’s Chang’E 8 mission, SUPARCO announced on Thursday.
The Chang’E 8 mission, scheduled for launch in 2028, will focus on robotic exploration of the lunar south pole. Last year, SUPARCO had announced its rover would be part of the mission, but the formal agreement was finalised during President Asif Ali Zardari’s visit to China this week.
“Pakistan has made a significant leap in deep space exploration with the signing of a historic MoU between SUPARCO and the China National Space Administration (CNSA),” the press release said.
The agreement marks a major milestone for Pakistan’s space programme, contributing to the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) initiative.
The rover, developed by SUPARCO, will be deployed at the lunar south pole. It will carry advanced scientific payloads designed by Pakistani scientists, along with a collaborative scientific payload developed by Chinese and European researchers.
This combined effort aims to enhance the mission’s capability to conduct detailed analyses of the lunar surface.
According to the statement, Pakistani scientists will operate the rover remotely from Earth, conducting studies on lunar soil composition, radiation levels, plasma properties, and testing new technologies for sustainable human presence on the Moon.
In May 2022, Pakistan launched its first lunar satellite aboard China’s Chang’e-6 probe, which successfully landed on the Moon’s South Pole-Aitken Basin. The mission returned samples to Earth in June, making China the first to bring back samples from the Moon’s far side.
The cooperation between Pakistan and China in space exploration highlights the growing partnership between the two countries in scientific and technological advancements.
Reference Link:- https://tribune.com.pk/story/2526926/pakistan-china-join-forces-for-lunar-mission-in-2028
Zamir Ahmed Awan is the founder and Chair of the Global Silk Route Research Alliance, a think tank in Islamabad. He studied engineering at Shanghai University in the 1980s, and years later he went back to China as Pakistan's science counsellor in Beijing, from 2010 until 2016, working on science and higher education cooperation between the two countries.…
