Pakistan Collaborates with China for Chang'e-8 Lunar Mission, Set for 2028.
Science and Technology
On February 5, 2025, the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) of Pakistan and the China National Space Administration (CNSA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to include Pakistan's first lunar rover in China's Chang'e-8 mission, set for 2028.
- The Chang'e-8 mission will focus on exploring the Moon's south pole, a region of great scientific interest due to its potential resources and unique environment.
- This mission serves as a precursor to China's International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) project, planned for the 2030s.
- Chang'e-8, a Chinese lunar mission set for 2028, will focus on exploring the Moon's south pole, with a goal to study the region's resources and unique environment.
Main Point :- (i) Pakistan's Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) will contribute a 35 kg (440 lb) rover to the mission, further strengthening the partnership between Pakistan and China.
(ii) The mission aims to analyze lunar soil composition, radiation levels, plasma properties, and test new technologies for sustaining human presence on the Moon.
(iii) The lander will carry 10 scientific payloads, including cameras, a seismometer, and a soft X-ray telescope. Preliminary landing sites include Leibnitz Beta, Amundsen crater, Cabeus crater, and the Shackleton-de Gerlache Ridge near the lunar south pole.
About Pakistan
President: Asif Ali Zardari
Capital: Islamabad
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