ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Wednesday marked a significant milestone in its space program with the successful test of the PakSat MM-1 satellite, announced by Chairman of SUPARCO, Muhammad Yousuf Khan.
Speaking at the test ceremony, Chairman Khan noted that the project, which began with the launch of PakSat in 2001, is progressing with the development of the MM-1 satellite. He also revealed that plans are in place for the launch of PakSat MM-2 in the coming years. Khan emphasized that SUPARCO is aligned with the government’s ‘Digital Pakistan’ vision and is playing a key role in sectors such as food security and forestry. The recent approval of Pakistan’s Space Policy, he said, would further improve service delivery in the space sector.
Minister of State for Information Technology, Shiza Fatima, commended the SUPARCO team for their tireless efforts in the successful launch of the MM-1 satellite.
She acknowledged the challenges faced during the formulation of Pakistan’s first National Space Policy and highlighted its potential benefits. Fatima stressed the importance of connectivity in advancing various sectors, noting that PakSat MM-1 could be instrumental in improving internet access in rural areas of Pakistan.
She further pointed out that better connectivity, through the satellite, could revolutionize digitalization in education and healthcare—areas that have seen slow progress over the past seven decades.
