The Space Programme 2040 is a satellite development and launch programme of the

Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission The Space & Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) ( ur, ) is the executive and national space agency of Pakistan. It is headquartered at the capital city of Islamabad in the northern part of Pakistan with additional facilities at th ...

(Suparco), Pakistan's space research authority. The Space programme 2040 intends to replace the Badr satellite programme and geo-stationary communication satellite. On 11 August 2011, ''Paksat-IR'' was launched from

Xichang Satellite Launch Center The Xichang Satellite Launch Center (XSLC), also known as the Xichang Space Center, is a spaceport of China. It is located in Zeyuan Town (), approximately northwest of Xichang, Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan. The facility bec ...

by China, making it first satellite to be launched under this programme. According to Suparco, five GEO satellites and six

low Earth orbit A low Earth orbit (LEO) is an orbit around Earth with a period of 128 minutes or less (making at least 11.25 orbits per day) and an eccentricity less than 0.25. Most of the artificial objects in outer space are in LEO, with an altitude never mor ...

(LEO) satellites will be launched between 2011 and 2040. The stated goals of the program are expected to gain significant experience in satellite development, practising of

space medicine Space medicine is the practice of medicine on astronauts in outer space whereas astronautical hygiene is the application of science and technology to the prevention or control of exposure to the hazards that may cause astronaut ill health. Both ...

, and to promote socio-

economic An economy is an area of the production, distribution and trade, as well as consumption of goods and services. In general, it is defined as a social domain that emphasize the practices, discourses, and material expressions associated with the ...

sector in the country. While the programme intends to learn to develop the military and space technologies and to conduct experiments on fundamental sciences in space frontier, the

government A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state. In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is ...

maintained that Space programme-2040's prime purpose is to bring the benefits of the full spectrum of space technology to the people of Pakistan. On 15 July 2011, Prime minister Yousaf Gillani gave official approval of the programme with the 2011 Pakistan fiscal year budget.

Low Earth orbit

In 1992, Suparco launched its first LEO project, and it was completed in 1996. ''Badr-II'' was Suparco's first LEO satellite and was launched in 2001 from Baikonur Cosmodrome by the

Russian Space Agency The State Space Corporation "Roscosmos" (russian: Государственная корпорация по космической деятельности «Роскосмос»), commonly known simply as Roscosmos (russian: Роскосмос) ...

. Since then, Suparco took initiatives to replace its first Suparco satellite, therefore, Remote Sensing Satellite programme in January 2007.

Remote Sensing Satellite

Suparco planned to launch its first optical satellite in the end of 2011 from People's Republic of China. The satellite is reported to have payload of 2.5 meter PAN in 700 km in SSO. It is the first satellite that is locally manufactured by the Suparco and to meet the national and international user requirements in the field of satellite imagery.

Remote Sensing Programme

There are six remote sensing satellites expected to be developed and launched under this programme. Suparco is intending to launch its first remote sensing satellite in 2018 and it is named as ''PRSS-O1''. According to Suparco, the planned and manufactured satellites are list below: **''PRSS-O1'' **''PRSS-S1'' **''PRSS-O2'' **''PRSS-S2'' **''PRSS-O3'' **''PRSS-S3''

Geostationary orbit

The Space Programme 2040 included the development of five GEO satellites and six LEO satellites to replace Suparco's existing satellites in the orbit. There are no plans for development of a

Launch vehicle A launch vehicle or carrier rocket is a rocket designed to carry a payload ( spacecraft or satellites) from the Earth's surface to outer space. Most launch vehicles operate from a launch pads, supported by a launch control center and ...

, and the programme is entirely intended to launch more communication and remote sensing satellites from other countries. On 11 August, the Suparco launched the ''Paksat-IR'', as first satellite as part of this programme.

Geo-satellites

According to Suparco, the Space Programme intends to launch five GEO satellites from 2011 till 2040. Here the details are given:

Paksat-IE

The Paksat-IE was country's first GEO satellite that was operated by the Suparco. Previously owned by Boeing and operated under lease by Paksat. It was launched on 31 January 1996 and leased to Suparco in 2003. Since then, Suparco initiated to develop its own GEO satellite programme, financed by People's Republic of China. The satellite will be replaced by its advanced and upgrade satellite, the Paksat-IR.

Paksat-IR

The ''Paksat-IR'' is a first GEO satellite that was launched at 21:17 hrs 11 August as part of this programme from People's Republic of China. Its satellite vehicle was the Long March 3E carrier rocket from the

Xichang Satellite Launch Centre The Xichang Satellite Launch Center (XSLC), also known as the Xichang Space Center, is a spaceport of China. It is located in Zeyuan Town (), approximately northwest of Xichang, Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan. The facility beca ...

in China's Sichuan province. The

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, or CASC, is the main contractor for the Chinese space program. It is state-owned and has subsidiaries which design, develop and manufacture a range of spacecraft, launch vehicles, strategi ...

and the Suparco was the main contractor to build ''Paksat-IR'', and

DESTO Desto Records was an American record label. It was founded in 1951 by Horace Grenell who had a mail order business of selling children's records and was looking to expand genres. The first issue was a three disc edition of '' The Beggars Opera''. I ...

was selected to build the primary heat shield and electronic materials for the spacecraft. The ''Paksat-IR'' objectives are to support all conventional and modern Fixed Satellite Service (FSS) applications, with a total of 30 Communication Transponders (12 in C band and 18 in K_u band). *The GEO satellites that are under development or proposed are listed below: **''Paksat-MM1'' **''Paksat-MM2'' **''Paksat-II''

References

{{Politics of outer space Space programme of Pakistan Science and technology in Pakistan 2040 in science Government of Yousaf Raza Gillani Policies of Pakistan