By Zainab Shafiq 
Pakistan is poised to make a major leap in its space and communication technology with the launch of the multi-mission communication satellite PakSAT-MM-1 on May 30. This ambitious project is being enforced in an alliance with China, stressing the decisive partnership between the two nations in proffering technological frontiers.
The PakSAT-MM-1 will be projected from China’s Xichang Satellite Launch Centre. This satellite is a mutual effort between Pakistan’s Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) and the Chinese Aerospace Industry, glancing at the culmination of joint collaborative efforts and state-of-the-art research.
Devised to meet Pakistan’s communication and connectivity needs, PakSAT-MM-1 is furnished with advanced communication technologies. It is envisioned to play a major role in the socio-economic uplift of the country by inducting a worldly-wise communication network that will improve the telecom sector’s capabilities.
One of the primary objectives of PakSAT-MM-1 is to sustain Pakistan’s vision of evolving as a Digital Pakistan. The satellite’s avant-garde capabilities will manage the increasing demand for high-speed internet and seamless connectivity across the nation, fulfilling the needs of both urban and rural areas.
This launch heeds closely on the heels of Pakistan’s historic lunar mission, ICUBE-Q, which was projected on May 3 from Hainan, China, aboard China’s Chang’E6. The ICUBE-Q satellite, forged by the Electrical Engineering Department of the Institute of Space Technology (IST) in Islamabad, successfully captured and disseminated photographs from lunar orbit, sharing amazing perspectives of the moon’s surface.
Weighing about 7kg, the ICUBE-Q satellite celebrated Pakistan’s first expedition into lunar exploration, showing the country’s extending prowess in space technology.
These achievements including the forthcoming launch of PakSAT-MM-1, signify notable improvements in Pakistan’s space endeavours. They underline the nation’s dedication to leveraging space technology for nationwide development and the refinement of its communication infrastructure.