🇵🇰 Pakistan’s ‘historic’ lunar mission to be launched on Friday (6 Viewers)

[Old School]

Pakistan's 'historic' lunar mission to be launched on Friday aboard China lunar probe

The Institute of Space Technology on Tuesday said Pakistan's "historic" lunar mission iCube-Q will be launched on May 3 at 12:50pm on board China's Chang'e 6 lunar probe from Hainan, China.

According to the Institute of Space Technology (IST), the satellite ICUBE-Q has been designed and developed by IST in collaboration with China's Shanghai University SJTU and Pakistan's national space agency Suparco.
ICUBE-Q orbiter carries two optical cameras to image the lunar surface.

Following successful qualification and testing, iCube-Q has now been integrated with the Chang'e 6 mission.

Chang'e 6 is the sixth in a series of China's lunar exploration missions.

The launch activity will be telecast live on the IST website and IST social media platforms.

 

[ThunderCat]

Seems like another case of Bread & Circus

 

[ghazi]

China's Chang'e 6 headed for moon to carry payload from Pakistan

Fatima javed | Gwadar Pro
Apr 30, 2024

BEIJING, Apr.30, (Gwadar Pro)-China is poised to launch a robotic spacecraft, Chang'e 6, in the coming days for a groundbreaking mission to the far side of the moon. This mission will not only mark a significant step in lunar exploration but also highlight the collaborative efforts of multiple nations in advancing scientific knowledge.

The Chang'e 6 mission will carry payloads, including satellites, from France, Italy, Sweden, and Pakistan, underscoring the international cooperation in lunar exploration. It is the first of three ambitious missions planned by China, aimed at laying the groundwork for future crewed landings and the establishment of a lunar base, particularly at the moon's south pole.

In 2020, China achieved a historic milestone by successfully retrieving samples from the moon's near side, demonstrating its capability to safely bring back an uncrewed spacecraft from the lunar surface after more than four decades. Now, with the upcoming Chang'e 6 mission, China seeks to explore the untouched terrain of the moon's far side.

The mission faces unique challenges, as the far side of the moon lacks direct communication with Earth. Chang'e 6 will rely on a newly deployed relay satellite orbiting the moon to facilitate communication during its 53-day mission, which includes the unprecedented task of ascending from the moon's hidden side on its journey back to Earth.

The significance of Chang'e 6 extends beyond technological prowess. By collecting samples from the moon's far side, scientists hope to gain valuable insights into the early evolution of the moon and the inner solar system. Unlike the near side, the far side has experienced minimal volcanic activity, preserving materials crucial for understanding the moon's formation.

Until now, lunar samples obtained by the United States, the former Soviet Union, and China were predominantly from the moon's near side, characterized by extensive volcanic activity. Chang'e 6 aims to broaden our understanding by retrieving approximately 2 kilograms (4.4 pounds) of samples using a mechanical scoop and drill upon a successful landing.

With the Chang'e 6 mission on the horizon, anticipation mounts for the scientific discoveries that await, further enriching our understanding of the moon's history and the mysteries of the cosmos.

 

[Old School]

Pakistan's iCube-Qamar beams back first images from moon's orbit

Pakistan's inaugural lunar satellite iCube-Qamar on Friday transmitted the first-ever images captured by it from the lunar orbit, the national space agency said.

The satellite, part of China's Chang'e-6 lunar mission, was launched from the 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 Islamabad's Institute of Space Technology (IST) in collaboration with China's Shanghai University (SJTU) and Pakistan's national space agency Suparco.

The landmark images were unveiled at a ceremony organised at the China National Space Agency (CNSA) to mark the successful mission accomplishment, IST spokesperson and head of Department of Electrical and Computer Science, Dr Khurram Khursheed told Dawn.com.

They were officially handed over to Pakistan's ambassador to Beijing, she added.

Pakistan's iCube-Qamar beams back first images from moon's orbit - Pakistan - DAWN.COM