Islamabad (TDI): Pakistan and China have inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) allowing Pakistan’s first lunar rover to be part of China’s Chang’E 8 mission, SUPARCO announced on Thursday.
The Chang’E 8 mission, set for launch in 2028, will explore the lunar south pole using robotics.
In 2024, SUPARCO had announced its rover would be part of the mission, but the formal deal was finalized during President Asif Ali Zardari’s visit to China this week.
SUPARCO stated that Pakistan has achieved a significant breakthrough in deep space exploration by signing a historic MoU with the China National Space Administration (CNSA).
The agreement marks a significant milestone for Pakistan’s space programme, contributing to the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) initiative.
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SUPARCO’s rover will be stationed at the lunar south pole.
It will carry advanced scientific payloads designed by Pakistani scientists, along with a collaborative scientific payload developed by their Chinese and European counterparts.
This combined effort aims to boost the mission’s capability to conduct detailed analyses of the lunar surface.
Pakistani scientists will remotely operate the rover, studying lunar soil, plasma, radiation, and testing technologies for human sustainability on the Moon.
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In May 2022, Pakistan’s first lunar satellite launched aboard China’s Chang’e-6 probe, landing in the Moon’s South Pole-Aitken Basin.
The mission returned samples to Earth in June, making China the first country to bring back samples from the Moon’s far side.
The collaboration between Pakistan and China in space exploration highlights the strengthening partnership between the two nations in scientific and technological advancements.
