‘Pakistan to launch remote sensing satellite in 2018’

SUPARCO introduces space bus to reach out to students in remote areas

KARACHI: The country is all set to launch its first remote sensing satellite, which is currently in development stages, in 2018, said Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) chairperson Qaiser Anees Khurram on Monday.

He was speaking at the inauguration ceremony of World Space Week organised by Suparco at National Centre for Remote Sensing and Geo Informatics. While giving details, Khurram said that with the successful launch of Pakistan Remote Sensing Satellite (PRSS-1), Pakistan will achieve yet another milestone by achieving self-reliance in the observation of earth through satellite remote sensing.



The satellite will be used for monitoring China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects, federal development minister Ahsan Iqbal had announced in Islamabad this April on the occasion of signing of an agreement between Suparco and the China Great Wall Industry Cooperation.

Speaking about the World Space Week, Khurram said they are among the 80 countries that are celebrating this week to pay tribute to how the international space industry has helped make lives better.

Referring to this year's theme, 'Remote Sensing: Enabling our Future,' he said the theme elaborates the significance of earth observation from space for the betterment of the human race. The theme also focuses on the benefits of remote sensing and the use of satellite imagery which will stimulate market growth and revolutionise how these powerful tools can have a positive impact on human life in the future, Khurram added.

During the ceremony, Suparco also launched a space bus under their Mobile Space Education Bus programme. "Through the space bus, we aim to reach out to students in remote areas and create awareness among them," said a spokesperson of Suparco.

The bus can accommodate more than 80 students, who will be shown educational videos, the spokesperson said, adding that the bus will travel to interior Sindh and suburbs of Karachi.



Other than this, Suparco, in collaboration with Pakistan International Airlines Planetarium, Karachi, will organise sky simulation shows and lectures for school students from October 18 to October 21 as part of the space week.

The celebrations will conclude with a two-day space family fair which will be held at PAF Museum on October 22 and October 23. The fair will include many space-related activities such as space movie theatre, sky observation, micro-gravity experiments, robotic manipulator, university project competition, model-making competition and display of satellite models. The activities of World Space Week will be held simultaneously in 14 cities across the country.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 18^th, 2016.