Pakistan to launch new remote-sensing satellite to monitor resources, boost disaster management
The launch of the satellite will mark a major milestone in Pakistan's space program, significantly enhancing its Earth observation capabilities. It will support a wide range of national applications, including precision agriculture to boost crop yields, monitoring infrastructure growth and urban sprawl, and enabling regional planning, according to SUPARCO.
The satellite will strengthen disaster management efforts by providing timely warnings for floods, landslides, and earthquakes, while tracking glacier recession and deforestation. In addition, it will support national development initiatives by mapping transportation networks and identifying geo-hazard risks.
"The launch of this remote sensing satellite, along with its integration into Pakistan's existing remote sensing fleet — including PRSS-1 (launched in July 2018) and EO-1 (launched in January 2025) — will further strengthen the country's space-based infrastructure, aligning with the National Space Policy and SUPARCO's Vision 2047, aiming to position our nation at the forefront of space technology and innovation," SUPARCO said in a statement.
The satellite, whose data acquisition capabilities under various environmental conditions make it a vital asset for environmental monitoring and resource management, will be launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center (XSLC), China on July 31.
Pakistan has taken strides in its space research program in recent years months.
In January this year, China launched Pakistan's indigenously developed Electro-Optical (EO-1) satellite into space from its Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, aiming to predict natural disasters and monitor resources, Chinese and Pakistani state media reported.
In Nov. last year, SUPARCO announced its rover will join China's Chang'E 8 mission to explore the moon's surface in 2028. Prior to that in May 2024, Pakistan launched its first lunar satellite aboard China's Chang'e-6 probe, which was tasked with landing on the far side of the moon that perpetually faces away from the Earth. China was the first country to make such an ambitious attempt.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Arab News
6 hours ago
- Arab News
Pakistan to launch new remote-sensing satellite to monitor resources, boost disaster management
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will be launching another remote-sensing satellite from a Chinese launch center next week to monitor resources and boost disaster management efforts, its space research commission SUPARCO announced on Sunday. The launch of the satellite will mark a major milestone in Pakistan's space program, significantly enhancing its Earth observation capabilities. It will support a wide range of national applications, including precision agriculture to boost crop yields, monitoring infrastructure growth and urban sprawl, and enabling regional planning, according to SUPARCO. The satellite will strengthen disaster management efforts by providing timely warnings for floods, landslides, and earthquakes, while tracking glacier recession and deforestation. In addition, it will support national development initiatives by mapping transportation networks and identifying geo-hazard risks. "The launch of this remote sensing satellite, along with its integration into Pakistan's existing remote sensing fleet — including PRSS-1 (launched in July 2018) and EO-1 (launched in January 2025) — will further strengthen the country's space-based infrastructure, aligning with the National Space Policy and SUPARCO's Vision 2047, aiming to position our nation at the forefront of space technology and innovation," SUPARCO said in a statement. The satellite, whose data acquisition capabilities under various environmental conditions make it a vital asset for environmental monitoring and resource management, will be launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center (XSLC), China on July 31. Pakistan has taken strides in its space research program in recent years months. In January this year, China launched Pakistan's indigenously developed Electro-Optical (EO-1) satellite into space from its Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, aiming to predict natural disasters and monitor resources, Chinese and Pakistani state media reported. In Nov. last year, SUPARCO announced its rover will join China's Chang'E 8 mission to explore the moon's surface in 2028. Prior to that in May 2024, Pakistan launched its first lunar satellite aboard China's Chang'e-6 probe, which was tasked with landing on the far side of the moon that perpetually faces away from the Earth. China was the first country to make such an ambitious attempt.
Asharq Al-Awsat
a day ago
- Asharq Al-Awsat
China's Premier Li Proposes Global AI Cooperation Organization
Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Saturday proposed establishing an organization to foster global cooperation on artificial intelligence, calling on countries to coordinate on the development and security of the fast-evolving technology. Speaking at the opening of the annual World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, Li called AI a new engine for growth but said governance is fragmented and emphasizing the need for more coordination between countries to form a globally recognized framework for AI. The three-day event brings together industry leaders and policymakers at a time of escalating technological competition between China and the United States - the world's two largest economies - with AI emerging as a key battleground. "Overall global AI governance is still fragmented. Countries have great differences particularly in terms of areas such as regulatory concepts, institutional rules," Li said. "We should strengthen coordination to form a global AI governance framework that has broad consensus as soon as possible." Washington has imposed export restrictions on advanced technology to China, including the most high-end AI chips made by companies such as Nvidia and chipmaking equipment, citing concerns that the technology could enhance China's military capabilities. Despite these restrictions, China has continued making AI breakthroughs that have drawn close scrutiny from US officials. Li did not name the United States in his speech but he warned that AI could become an "exclusive game" for a few countries and companies, adding that challenges included an insufficient supply of AI chips and restrictions on talent exchange. GOVERNANCE PLAN China wants to share its development experience and products with other countries, especially those in the Global South, Li said. Also on Saturday, China released an action plan for global AI governance, in which it invited governments, international organizations, enterprises and research institutions to work together and promote international exchanges including through a cross-border open-source community. The plan proposes accelerating digital infrastructure such as clean power, new-generation networks and data centers, according to a statement from China's foreign ministry. The AI conference is an annual government-sponsored event in Shanghai that typically attracts major industry players, government officials, researchers and investors. Saturday's speakers included Anne Bouverot, the French president's special envoy for AI, computer scientist Geoffrey Hinton, known as "the Godfather of AI", and former Google CEO Eric Schmidt. Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who has in past years regularly appeared at the opening ceremony in person or by video, did not speak this year. Besides forums, the conference features exhibitions where companies demonstrate their latest innovations. This year, more than 800 companies are participating, showcasing more than 3,000 high-tech products, 40 large language models, 50 AI-powered devices and 60 intelligent robots, according to organizers. The exhibition features predominantly Chinese companies, including tech giants Huawei and Alibaba and startups such as humanoid robot maker Unitree. Western participants include Tesla, Alphabet and Amazon.
Al Arabiya
2 days ago
- Al Arabiya
China's Premier Li proposes global AI cooperation organization
Chinese Premier Li Qiang proposed on Saturday establishing a world artificial intelligence cooperation organization, calling on countries to coordinate development and security of the fast-evolving technology. Speaking at the opening of the annual World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, Li called AI a new engine for growth but said governance is fragmented and emphasized the need to step up coordination between countries to form a globally recognized framework for AI. The three-day event brings together industry leaders and policymakers at a time of escalating technological competition between China and the US, with AI emerging as a key battleground between the world's two largest economies. Washington has imposed export restrictions on advanced technology to China, including AI chips and chipmaking equipment, citing concerns the technology could enhance China's military capabilities. Despite these restrictions, China has continued making AI breakthroughs that have drawn close scrutiny from US officials. Li said AI technologies were rapidly evolving but that there were constraints, such as the lack of high-end computing chips and restrictions on talent exchange. He called for breaking through bottlenecks for open and coordinated innovation.
