On January 17, a Long March-2D (LM-2D) satellite launch vehicle (SLV) successfully delivered Pakistan’s PRSC-EO1 imaging satellite into its designated orbit.
The mission was conducted by the China Great Wall Industry Corporation (CGWIC), a subsidiary of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC). In addition to the PRSC-EO1, the LM-2D also deployed China’s DAO-1 and Blue Carbon-1 satellites.
For Pakistan to maintain a credible presence in space, it would need to maintain a program of regularly deploying satellites. Not only is a regular satellite launch cadence necessary to replace defunct satellites after they reach the end of their lifecycles, but a means of using new technology.
For example, the PRSS-O1 can capture multi-spectral images at a resolution of within 3 m, while the EO-1 could potentially do it (based on the PRSS-O2’s specifications) at sub-1 m.
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