By Muhammad Luqman
Pakistan’s first optical remote sensing satellite PRSS-1 would be launched in 2018, according to an announcement of Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco).
“Our first optical remote sensing satellite PRSS-1 is all set to be launched in 2018 with which Pakistan will become self-reliant in multispectral imaging thus saving a huge foreign exchange on account of satellite imagery and satellite-based monitoring of various national projects,” says Ayaz Aziz, member of the commission.
He said that the communication satellite Paksat-1R was up and running with efficient provision of communication and broadcast services throughout the country and neighboring regions.
Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), the national space agency, was established in 1961 as a Committee and was granted the status of a Commission in 1981.
SUPARCO has contributed to natural resource management and environment modeling through glacier monitoring, land cover classification of Pakistan, land information system, national environment information management system .
In addition to carrying satellite development, other major projects SUPARCO is accomplishing include-Digitization of Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) Line and Delineation of Encroachments on Railway Land, , Monitoring Environmental Changes and Land Degradation due to Sea instruction, Mapping Mangrove Forests along the coast, Site Selection for Bunji Hydro Power Project, , Environmental Impact Assessment of Left Bank Outfall Drainage (LBOD),Baseline Survey of Kacho Areas in Sindh, Monitoring and Mapping Slum Areas in Karachi, Natural Resources Management, Development of GIS under NPIW-Punjab Component and Development of GIS under NPIW-NWFP Component.
