On May 10th, it was reported that the China National Space Administration held a handover ceremony for the Chang'e-6 mission data to Pakistan's CubeSat.
According to official sources, at 16:14 on May 8th, one of the international payloads carried by the Chang'e-6 mission, the Pakistan CubeSat, successfully separated from the orbiter near the far side of the moon in a 12-hour elliptical lunar orbit.
Following that, the CubeSat lived up to expectations by successfully capturing its first image of the moon, with the bright spot being the sun. This milestone moment not only showcased the outstanding performance of the Pakistani CubeSat but also reaffirmed the collaborative strength in the aerospace field between China and Pakistan.
The development journey of the Pakistani CubeSat can be described as meticulously planned and fraught with challenges. As early as the beginning of 2023, the Pakistan Space Technology Research Institute partnered with Shanghai Jiao Tong University to kick off the joint development work on this CubeSat.
After nearly a year of careful design and repeated testing, the assembly, testing, and launch site preparation of the probe were finally completed as scheduled in 2024. On May 3rd, with the successful launch of the Chang'e 6 probe, Pakistan's CubeSat also embarked on its lunar journey.
The main task of Pakistan's CubeSat this time is orbital imaging and searching for key information such as traces of water ice on the lunar surface. Through high-precision imaging technology, the CubeSat will provide scientists with a wealth of valuable lunar data, helping us to gain a deeper understanding of the moon's mysteries.
The successful implementation of Pakistan's CubeSat project also validates the feasibility of nano-satellite lunar orbit exploration technology, laying a solid cooperative foundation for future lunar and deep space exploration missions between China and Pakistan.
