Pakistan launched its first-ever lunar mission ICUBE-Q on May 3 on board China’s Chang’e 6 lunar probe from Hainan, China. The mission marks Pakistan’s “first step into space.”
The Long March-5, China’s largest rocket, blasted off at 5:27 p.m. Beijing time (0927 GMT) from Wenchang Space Launch Center in Hainan province of China. China’s ambitious Chang’e-6 mission aims to collect the first-ever samples from the mysterious far side of the moon. If successful, samples could change our understanding of the Earth and moon and the history of the early solar system.
The launch was attended by scientists, diplomats and space agency officials from France, Italy, Pakistan, and the European Space Agency, all of which have send moon-studying payloads aboard Chang’e-6.
“Historic Moment” for Pakistan
Pakistan’s ICUBE-Q satellite has been designed and developed by faculty members and students of Pakistan’s Institute of Space Technology (IST) in collaboration with China’s Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU), with support from Pakistan’s National Space Agency, SUPARCO.
“Pakistan’s historic lunar mission ICUBE-Qamar (ICUBE-Q) has been successfully launched today 3rd May 2024 at 1417hrs PST,” according to a statement issued by the Institute of Space Technology (IST).
The statement recognized the efforts of around 100 IST students for their significant contributions in to developing the ICUBE-Q satellite.
Pakistan celebrates historic lunar probe
Pakistan’s Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) Chairman Mohammad Yousuf Khan called the mission a milestone for Pakistan that will pave the way for the research and development of space sciences in Pakistan.
“ICUBE-Qamar satellite is Pakistan’s first step into space,” Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said in a statement after the lift-off. “This is a very historic moment in the journey of technological development, with this important achievement Pakistan has entered a new era of purposeful use of space.”
President Asif Ali Zardari congratulated the IST, Suparco and the China National Space Administration on the achievement. He said the successful launch would be a “milestone” for Pakistan’s space program. He also commended the cooperation between Pakistan and China in aerospace.
Pakistan’s Institute of Space Technology (IST) has embarked on a groundbreaking lunar mission with the development of the ICUBE-Qamar (ICUBE-Q) CubeSat. This opportunity arose in 2022 through the China National Space Agency’s offer to member states via the Asia Pacific Space Cooperation Organization to send a student-built payload to the Moon onboard the Chang’e 6 mission.
ICUBE-Q lunar satellite
ICUBE-Q, weighing approximately 7 kg, is equipped with two optical cameras designed to capture images of the lunar surface.
Its mission objectives include successful separation from the Chang’e 6 Orbiter, beacon signal reception confirmation, and capturing images of the Orbiter, Earth, and Moon together.
With a design life of three months, ICUBE-Q boasts sophisticated subsystems for communication, attitude control, and power management, utilizing X-Band communication for data transfer and employing reaction wheels for three-axis control.
This ambitious mission not only represents Pakistan’s advancement in space technology but also signifies its growing collaboration with international partners in lunar exploration.