Pak’s icube-qamar sends first images of moon from space
The images were unveiled at a ceremony organised at the China National Space Agency (CNSA) to mark the successful mission accomplishment, says Suparco official
Pakistan’s inaugural lunar satellite icube-qamar on Friday transmitted the first-ever images captured by it from lunar orbit, Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) said.
The satellite, part of China’s Chang’e-6 lunar mission, was launched from Hainan province on May 3 and had successfully entered the moon’s orbit at 1:14pm on May 8.
The moon is at an average distance of 384,400km from earth.
The lunar module was designed by Institute of Space Technology (IST) of Islamabad in collaboration with China’s Shanghai University (SJTU) and Suparco.
The landmark images were unveiled at a ceremony organised at the China National Space Agency (CNSA) to mark the successful mission accomplishment, Suparco spokesperson Maria Tariq said and added that they were officially handed over to Pakistan’s ambassador to Beijing.
The icube-q orbiter carries two optical cameras to image the lunar surface.
The module is a cube satellite or cubesat — miniature satellites typically characterised by their small size and standardised cubic design.
Due to their compact size and relatively low cost compared to traditional satellites, Cubesats offered opportunities for universities, research institutions and commercial entities to participate in space missions and gather valuable data for scientific advancement and innovation.
Operating in extreme temperatures as low as minus 100 degrees Celsius, the satellite features a 7-kilogramme one-megapixel camera tailored for missions with power constraints.
Dr Khurram Khursheed, head of Department of Electrical and Computer Science at the IST, had said the satellite would play a critical role in deep space missions.
“Its surface-level analysis capabilities, transmitting images at a modest 1-kbps, will provide crucial data on crater locations, water, and traces of ice on the moon’s surface,” he had said.
As the Chinese lander collects rock and soil samples, icube-q will spend three to six months orbiting the moon, capturing and transmitting images of the moon back to Earth.
The IST said the opportunity to release the cubesat in lunar orbit from the Chang’e-6 mission was offered by the CNSA through the Asia Pacific Space Cooperation Organisation (Apsco).
After a thorough evaluation, Pakistan’s proposal was accepted out of all Apsco member states.
The Chang’e-6 mission, which aims to explore the moon’s “dark side,” employs lunar research payloads from multiple countries, including Pakistan’s icube-qamar satellite.
The mission is named after the mythical Chinese moon goddess.
On Chang’e-6, China is carrying payloads from France, Italy, Sweden and Pakistan, while Chang’e-7 will bear payloads from Russia, Switzerland and Thailand when it launches in 2026.
Chang’e-6 aims to collect around 2kg of lunar samples from the far side of the Moon and bring them back to Earth for analysis.
Cubesats are miniature satellites typically characterised by their small size and standardised design. They are constructed in a cubic shape, consisting of modular components that adhere to specific size constraints
These satellites often weigh no more than a few kilogrammes and are deployed in space for various purposes. The primary purpose of Cubesats is to facilitate scientific research, technology development, and educational initiatives in space exploration. It is the latest advance in China’s increasingly sophisticated space exploration programme, which is now competing with the US, still the leader in space.
China also has a three-member crew on its own orbiting space station and aims to put astronauts on the moon by 2030.
Three Chinese lunar probe missions are planned over the next four years.
Free from exposure to Earth and other interference, the moon’s somewhat mysterious far side is ideal for radio astronomy and other scientific work. Because the far side never faces Earth, a relay satellite is needed to maintain communications.
Last week, shortly afterward, launch mission commander Zhang Zuosheng took to a podium at the front of the room and said the launch had gone off exactly as planned and the spacecraft was on its set trajectory.