ISLAMABAD, May 21 (DNA): Pakistan is set to launch a new satellite named MM1 on May 30, as announced by the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco). The launch will take place from Islamabad.
The MM1 satellite is designed to improve Pakistan’s communication infrastructure. It will be placed in Geostationary Orbit, which is about 36,000 kilometers above the Earth. This satellite aims to support a sophisticated communication network and address the growing demands of the telecom sector, including high-speed internet and seamless connectivity.
Earlier this month, on May 3, Pakistan launched a historic lunar mission called ICUBE-Q, aboard China’s Chang’E6 from Hainan, China. The ICUBE-Q satellite, which weighs about 7 kg, was developed by the Institute of Space Technology (IST) in Islamabad, in collaboration with China’s Shanghai University SJTU and Suparco. The satellite successfully captured and transmitted its first images from lunar orbit.
Satellites are crucial for a country’s development, especially in planning and responding to natural disasters like earthquakes, floods, and forest fires. They help in mapping, damage assessment, and recovery planning. Satellites are also essential for analyzing Earth from space in areas like agriculture, weather, climate conditions, and monitoring environmental changes over time.
Pakistan currently has two operational satellites: PRSS-1 (a remote sensing satellite) and PakSAT-1R (a communication satellite). However, these are not enough to meet the country’s current needs and challenges. According to Suparco, three types of satellites are essential for any country: communication, remote sensing and reconnaissance, and navigation. Pakistan currently has the first two types.
: Pakistan is set to launch a new satellite named MM1 on May 30, as announced by the Space and){kind=link}