May 03, 2024
Are you excited for the launch of Pakistan’s first lunar mission — iCube Qamar — which is expected to be lift off at 2:18pm (Pakistani time)?
Worry not as you can watch the live stream on the IST website from 12:50pm. The live stream is a step taken to ensure that everybody witness this historic event.
It should be noted that Pakistan's satellite mission will reach the lunar orbit in five days and will circle the moon for three to six months. This extended lunar stay promises valuable opportunities for scientific observation.
Read more: iCube Qamar — Pakistan's historic moon mission lifts off today
Equipped with two powerful optical cameras, iCube Qamar will capture detailed images of the moon's surface. These pictures will be a major milestone for Pakistan, as they will be the first set of lunar images obtained by a Pakistani satellite.
The collaborative effort behind this mission is noteworthy. IST joined forces with China's Shanghai University and Pakistan's national space agency, SUPARCO, to design and develop iCube Qamar.
While China's Chang'e 6 mission aims to collect lunar samples from the far side of the moon, iCube Qamar, a CubeSat satellite, will piggyback on this mission, adding a Pakistani dimension to this exciting lunar exploration endeavor.
