By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan successfully placed its third homegrown electro-optical satellite into orbit on Saturday, a launch from a Chinese facility that officials described as a major step forward in the country’s efforts to build independent space capabilities while relying on longstanding cooperation with Beijing.
The Foreign Office announced the deployment of the EO-3 satellite, developed by the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission. It was carried aloft by a Chinese Long March-6 rocket from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre and successfully reached its planned orbit, according to China’s state-run Xinhua News Agency. Liftoff occurred at 8:15 p.m. Beijing time.
The satellite joins a small but growing constellation of Pakistani Earth-observation spacecraft. Its two predecessors — EO-1, launched in January 2025 from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in northern China, and EO-2, sent into orbit the following month from the Yangjiang Seashore Launch Centre — were also developed domestically with Chinese launch support.
Beyond standard imaging, EO-3 carries experimental payloads designed to test next-generation technologies. These include a multi-geometry imaging module intended to improve accuracy, an advanced energy-storage system and an onboard artificial-intelligence unit capable of real-time data processing and decision support, the Foreign Office said in a statement posted on the social media platform X.
“The addition of EO-3 to Pakistan’s Earth Observation satellite fleet significantly enhances national capabilities in remote sensing,” the statement said. “The integrated system will improve data continuity, imaging reliability and analytical precision, supporting applications across Pakistan’s socio-economic sectors.”
Military officials emphasised practical benefits. The Inter-Services Public Relations wing, the public affairs arm of the armed forces, said the satellite’s high-resolution imagery would “revolutionise urban planning, disaster management, food security and environment protection.”
Electro-optical satellites such as EO-3 use sophisticated cameras to capture detailed images of Earth’s surface in visible and near-infrared wavelengths. Pakistani officials say the technology will help track crop health and irrigation patterns, map urban growth, monitor floods and other natural disasters, and provide data for long-term environmental planning — tools that have become increasingly valuable in a country prone to extreme weather and facing pressure to modernise its agriculture and infrastructure.
President Asif Ali Zardari called it “a historic milestone” and “a clear manifestation of Pakistan’s self-reliance, scientific expertise and growing capability in space technology.” He praised Suparco’s scientists and engineers for adapting the country to modern requirements and singled out China’s “consistent and trustworthy cooperation” in the space sector. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif commended the Suparco team and reaffirmed his government’s commitment to expanding the national space program, according to the Foreign Office. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar described the launch as a reflection of Pakistan’s advancing scientific capabilities and said the government was determined to strengthen the country’s presence in space.
The launch comes as Pakistan seeks to broaden its space activities. Earlier this week, two Pakistani candidates were selected for astronaut training as part of China’s program and are expected to serve as reserve crew members for a future mission to the Tiangong space station. If one flies, the official said, it could make that astronaut the first foreigner aboard the Chinese orbital outpost .Pakistan and China have collaborated on satellite development and launches for years, part of a broader strategic partnership that has extended into space as Beijing has opened its program to select international partners amid intensifying global competition.
Suparco officials have framed the EO series as a foundation for more ambitious goals, including eventual human spaceflight. Saturday’s mission, with its emphasis on onboard artificial intelligence and advanced imaging, suggests Pakistan is not only acquiring more satellites but also experimenting with the kind of autonomous technologies that could support longer and more complex missions.
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