China Launches Pakistan’s First Hyperspectral Satellite — What It Means for Defence and Intelligence Quwa Premium

On 19 October 2025, China’s Jiaquan Satellite Launch Station sent into orbit Pakistan’s first hyperspectral imaging satellite, HS-1. 

Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) framed the launch of the HS-1, to be managed by the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), as a significant step in Pakistan-China space cooperation. According to MOFA, the HS-1’s imaging data will be used to support “precision agriculture, environmental monitoring, urban planning, and disaster management.”

HS-1 now joins Pakistan’s growing constellation of Earth-observation satellites, which also includes the recently launched PRSC-EO1 and PRSC-S1, which provide electro-optical (EO) and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) coverages, respectively, providing a multi-modal imaging capability.

Together, this imaging triad will enable Pakistan to flag potential activity at day and night, under all weather conditions via PRSC-S1; the HS-1 would help with determining what potential objects of interest could be (e.g., false positives or actuals); and PRSC-EO1 would provide precise context and reporting of that area. 

Overall, the new imaging constellation will contribute to the cadence, reliability, and sovereign control of Pakistan’s space-based intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities.