Lunar Satellite mission launch
As part of China’s historic Chang’e-6 lunar mission. The satellite was launched from Hanain, China today on 3rd May. It is reported that the satellite will reach lunar orbit in the next 5 days and then circle the moon for six to nine months. This launch activity was telecasted live on certain channels in Pakistan as well as China. This “historic” lunar model is designed by the Institute of Space Technology (IST) in collaboration with China’s Shanghai University.
This mission aims to explore the “dark side” of the moon. The objective is to collect 2 Kilograms of lunar samples from this dark side and bring those back to observe and test. The spacecraft will land in the immense South Pole-Aitken Basin from where lunar soil and rocks will be accumulated to bring back. Additionally, since there is no direct line of sight with Earth, Chang’e-6 will rely on a recently deployed satellite orbiting the moon currently. Further, this Chang’e-6 is carrying payloads from France, Italy, and Sweden other than Pakistan.
Reactions of Political Leaders on the Launch
The PM of Pakistan greatly appreciated this effort and expressed his gratitude and pride. He said, “Pakistani scientists, engineers, and skilled workers are proving their mettle in this field” and then further expressed his respect to the core team of the Institute of Space Technology.
The recently appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also added his remarks by highlighting how this mission is a great example of countries coming together to gain shared benefits out of space exploration. He reflected on the significance of this mission being a collaborative effort with China. President Asif Ali Zardari also congratulated the nation on this success and called this a “milestone” for Pakistan’s Space program.
