Pakistan and China have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) allowing the first lunar rover of Pakistan to be part of the Chinese mission of Chang’e 8, announced Suparco on Thursday.
The Chang’e 8 mission, scheduled for launch in 2028, will focus on robotic exploration of the South Pole of Lunar. Last year, Suparco had announced that his rover would be part of the mission, but the official agreement was finalized during the visit of President Asif Ali Zardari in China this week.
“Pakistan has made a significant jump in exploring deep space with the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Suparco and National Space Administration (CNSA),” the press release said.
The agreement marks an important step for the Pakistan space program, contributing to the international initiative of the Lunar research station (ILRS).
The rover, developed by Suparco, will be deployed at the South Lunar pole. It will carry useful advanced scientific charges designed by Pakistani scientists, as well as a collaborative scientific payload developed by Chinese and European researchers.
This combined effort aims to improve the ability of the mission to carry out detailed analyzes of the lunar surface.
According to the press release, Pakistani scientists will operate the Rover remotely from the earth, conducting studies on the composition of the lunar soil, radiation levels, plasma properties and the test of new technologies for a lasting human presence on the Moon.
In May 2022, Pakistan launched its first lunar satellite aboard the China Chang’e-6 probe, which successfully landed in the Basin de la Lune-Pole-Aitken de la Lune. The mission returned samples to earth in June, making China the first to bring samples from the moon.
Cooperation between Pakistan and China in space exploration highlights the growing partnership between the two countries in scientific and technological progress.
