Pakistan’s iCube-Qamar Satellite Marks Historic Moment in Lunar Exploration

iCube-Qamar, Pakistan’s pioneering satellite mission to the moon, has achieved a significant milestone by transmitting the first-ever image captured in the lunar orbit. This groundbreaking development marks a historic moment for Pakistan’s space exploration efforts, as confirmed by the Institute of Space Technology (IST).

The successful transmission of the lunar image underscores the technological prowess of Pakistan’s space program. iCube-Qamar, the first Pakistani satellite to enter the lunar orbit, completed its rotation in a remarkable 12 hours, positioning itself approximately 200 kilometers above the moon’s surface.

According to IST, the signals from iCube-Qamar traverse an impressive distance of 360,000 to 400,000 kilometers to reach Earth, highlighting the satellite’s remarkable reach and capabilities. Since its deployment on May 8, the satellite has completed three orbits around the moon, capturing valuable data and images of the lunar terrain.

The achievement has garnered international recognition, with the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan extending congratulations to Pakistan for this breakthrough. The embassy emphasized the significance of the milestone in fostering deeper cooperation between China and Pakistan in moon and deep space exploration.

Developed in collaboration with China’s Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) and Pakistan’s national space agency Suparco, iCube-Qamar carries two optical cameras designed to capture high-resolution images of the lunar surface. This collaboration underscores the importance of international partnerships in advancing space exploration endeavors.

As iCube-Qamar continues its mission, it will meticulously capture images of targeted lunar surfaces in its carefully selected elliptical orbit. With Pakistan poised to have its own satellite images of the moon for research purposes, the mission represents a significant stride towards furthering the nation’s capabilities in space exploration.

With the successful deployment of iCube-Qamar, Pakistan’s space program has demonstrated its commitment to innovation and scientific advancement on the global stage, paving the way for future space exploration endeavors.