Pakistan to launch first moon rover as part of China’s Chang’E 8 mission

Pakistan to launch first moon rover as part of China’s Chang’E 8 mission as announced by SUPARCO.

Pakistan’s Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) announced that the country’s first moon rover mission is scheduled for launch in 2028. This development comes after Pakistan and China signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which will see Pakistan’s lunar rover integrated into China’s Chang’E 8 mission.

The Chang’E 8 mission, aimed at robotic exploration of the lunar south pole, will be launched in 2028. To engage the public, SUPARCO has initiated a nationwide competition to name the rover, with the winner receiving a reward of Rs100,000.

The rover, designed by SUPARCO, will be stationed at the lunar south pole and will carry advanced scientific payloads created by Pakistani scientists. Additionally, it will carry a collaborative scientific payload developed by Chinese and European researchers.

Pakistan’s involvement in space exploration has been growing, as seen in May 2022, when the country launched its first lunar satellite aboard China’s Chang’e-6 probe, which successfully landed on the Moon’s South Pole-Aitken Basin. This mission returned samples to Earth, making China the first to bring back samples from the far side of the Moon.

This partnership between Pakistan and China in space exploration highlights their growing collaboration in scientific and technological advancements.