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Today, first ever journey of Pakistan’s inaugural satellite mission to the Moon. The lunar effort, ICUBE-Qamar, is set to launch from Hainan, China aboard China’s Chang’e-6 spacecraft, the Institute of Space Technology has confirmed.
ICUBE-Q, developed in collaboration with the Institute of Space Technology, China’s Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) and Pakistan’s national space agency SPARCO, will be carried by the Chang’e-6 mission. The live telecast of the launch event can be seen on the IST website at 12:50 PM.
Equipped with two optical cameras to image the lunar surface, ICUBE-Q has undergone rigorous testing and integration with the Chang’E6 mission.
Chang’e-6’s primary mission is to land on the far side of the Moon, collect samples and bring them back to Earth for scientists to study. Apart from its scientific instruments, the mission also carries Pakistan’s CubeSat satellite, iCube-Q, built by IST. CubeSats are small satellites with a standardized design, commonly used in scientific research, technology development, and space-related education projects.
These small satellites, often weighing only a few kilograms, serve a variety of purposes, including observing the Earth, studying the atmosphere, communicating and testing new technologies.
Pakistan’s involvement in this lunar mission highlights its growing role in the global space community and its determination to explore beyond the borders of our planet.
