On 12 February, Pakistan’s Space and Upper Atmospheric Research Commission’s (SUPARCO) second earth-observation satellite – i.e., the Pakistan Remote Sensing Satellite (PRSC-EO2) – was launched into orbit via the Chinese Smart Dragon-3 (SD-3) satellite launch vehicle (SLV).
Several days later, on 15 February, SUPARCO announced the launch of its Satellite-Based Augmentation System (SBAS), Pak-SBAS. The Pak-SBAS system aims to offer more precise location or navigation data by monitoring and leveraging China’s BeiDou Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS).
Overall, the two recent events highlight the growing integration between Pakistan’s space programs and Chinese space infrastructure (i.e., launch capacity, expertise, and controlled technologies).
These events also highlight the rapid pace of Pakistan’s space program, showcasing the seriousness with which the government (and, by extension, the security establishment) now takes space, at least compared to earlier decades, with defence likely the main driver of this growth.
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