ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) on Sunday launched the country’s first Hyperspectral Satellite (HS-1) from China’s Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, state-run Radio Pakistan reported, marking what officials described as a major leap in national space and climate-monitoring capability.
The HS-1 mission will capture hundreds of spectral bands across visible and infrared wavelengths to help detect changes in soil, vegetation, water bodies and man-made structures with far greater precision than conventional imaging satellites. Officials say the technology will be applied to improve agricultural productivity, monitor environmental degradation and strengthen early-warning systems for floods and landslides.
“Pakistan has achieved a major milestone in its space program with the successful launch of its first Hyperspectral Satellite, HS-1, from the Chinese Satellite Launch Center,” Radio Pakistan reported.
“The satellite is expected to significantly enhance national capacities in areas such as precision agriculture, environmental monitoring, urban planning, and disaster management. Its high-resolution data will support improved resource management and strengthen Pakistan’s resilience to climate-related challenges.”
SUPARCO, the national space agency, said last week the satellite will provide “detailed insights into crop health, soil moisture and irrigation patterns, enhancing yield estimation by 15–20 percent and contributing significantly to food security.”
The agency added that HS-1’s sensors would also enable mapping of infrastructure and tracking of urban expansion to support sustainable city planning and land-use management.
“The mission aligns with the National Space Policy and SUPARCO’s Vision 2047, which aim to position Pakistan at the forefront of space technology and innovation for sustainable national development,” the space agency added.
The new satellite will join Pakistan’s growing remote-sensing fleet, which includes PRSS-1 launched in 2018 and two Earth-observation satellites— EO-1 and KS-1— placed in orbit earlier this year.
Officials said integrating HS-1 will expand Pakistan’s capacity for disaster assessment, water-resource modelling and climate-change monitoring, while deepening collaboration with China in the civilian space sector.
