Pakistan’s Historic Lunar Mission I Cube Qamar launched from Hainan, China

Pakistani Historic Lunar Mission "I Cube Qamar" has launched on board China’s Chang’e 6 from Hainan, China.
Pakistan Ambassador to China, Khalil Hashmi, Prof. Qamar Ul Islam of Institute of Space Technology (ICT) and other Pakistani officials witnessed the launch.

While congratulating nation on this historic achievement, Ambassador Hashmi said that the Launch signifies yet another Milestone and a good example of Pakistan-China bilateral cooperation in space exploration and research.

Prof Qamar Ul Islam informed that the Lunar Mission has been designed and developed by Institute of Space Technology in collaboration with China’s Shanghai University SJTU and Pakistan’s national space agency called SUPARCO.

ICUBE-Q orbiter carries two optical cameras to image the lunar surface. Following successful qualification and testing, It is designed and integrated with the Chang’e 6 mission. Chang’e 6 is the sixth in a series of China’s lunar exploration missions, he added.

According to IST, CubeSats are miniature satellites typically characterized by their small size and standardized 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 kilograms 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.

These satellites are utilized for a wide range of missions, including Earth observations, remote sensing, atmospheric research, communications, astronomy, and technology demonstration.