PRSC-EO3, a Pakistani remote sensing satellite, is launched from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in China’s Shanxi province. PHOTO: application
ISLAMABAD:
China successfully launched a Pakistani remote sensing satellite from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in northern China’s Shanxi province on Saturday, state agency Xinhua News reported.
The satellite, called PRSC-EO3, was launched into space using a Long March-6 rocket at 8:15 p.m. (12:15 GMT).
According to official reports, it successfully entered its planned orbit.
The launch represents the 640th mission in China’s Long March rocket series, a key component of the country’s growing space program.
PRSC-EO3 is expected to support Pakistan’s capabilities in Earth observation, including natural resource monitoring, disaster management and environmental change.
“Pakistan’s Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) has successfully launched its indigenous electro-optical satellite (EO-3) from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, marking another important milestone in the nation’s space capabilities,” the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement posted on social media platform X.
“Beyond its primary imaging mission, EO-3 carries advanced experimental payloads intended to validate next-generation space technologies. These include a multi-geometry imaging module to improve imaging accuracy, an advanced energy storage system, and an AI-powered onboard data processing unit to enable real-time analysis and intelligent decision support,” he said.
He said the addition of EO-3 to Pakistan’s fleet of Earth observation satellites “significantly enhances national capabilities in remote sensing.”
“The integrated system will improve data continuity, image reliability and analytical accuracy, supporting applications across all socio-economic sectors in Pakistan,” the Ministry of External Affairs said.
The military’s media affairs wing, Inter-Services Public Relations, said the satellite would provide imagery data to “revolutionize urban planning, disaster management, food security and environmental protection.”
President Asif Ali Zardari, in a statement, called the launch a “historic milestone.”
He stressed that it was a “clear manifestation of Pakistan’s self-reliance, scientific expertise and growing capability in space technology.”
The President praised the professional expertise of Suparco scientists and engineers and said their efforts were adapting Pakistan to modern needs.
The president also praised China’s “consistent and reliable cooperation” in the space sector.
According to the FO statement, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised Suparco scientists and engineers for the achievement.
“He reaffirmed the government’s strong commitment to advancing Pakistan’s space program and expressed appreciation for China’s continued cooperation in this area,” he said.
The launch of the EO-3 satellite marks a significant step forward in Pakistan’s quest for self-reliance and technological advancement in the space sector. Equipped with advanced imaging capabilities, the satellite is expected to play a vital role in transforming urban planning, disaster management, food security and environmental protection across the country.
Officials said the EO-3 satellite will lay the foundation for a comprehensive Earth Observation System, aimed at supporting national priorities in multiple sectors and contributing to sustainable socio-economic development.
