ISLAMABAD – Pakistan is set to launch an ambitious space programme duringthe next fiscal year with an aim to keep an eye on the Indian side andreduce its dependence on foreign satellites for civil and militarypurposes, according to a media report.
Several projects will be initiated to develop self-reliance capacity andreduce dependence on foreign satellites, mainly the US and Frenchsatellites for civil and military communications.The budget of the Spaceand Upper Atmosphere Research Organisation (Suparco) for the upcomingfiscal year 2018-19 is Rs 4.70 billion which includes Rs 2.55 billion forthree new projects, Dawn News reported.
Suparco has been regularly conducting activities each year to increaseawareness of space technology and to promote its peaceful usage amongststudents and the masses in Pakistan since 2005.
The funding includes allocation of Rs 1.35 billion for PakistanMulti-Mission Satellite (PakSat- MM1) and the country is also planning toestablish Pakistan Space Centre in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad with theallocation of Rs 1 billion.
The third project is the establishment of Space Application Research Centrein Karachi with the budget of Rs 200 million in 2018-19, the report said.
The total cost of PakSat-MM1 is Rs 27.57 billion and that of the spacecentres is Rs 26.91 billion, it added.
Advanced space programme is the need of time not only due to growing demandfrom the civil communications, including the GPS, mobile telephony and theinternet but due to changing scenario in the region also, analysts havesaid.
“There are two unusual developments in the region effecting the strategicsituation first of all Pakistan has to keep an eye on Indian side andpreviously their programme had limited quality advancements but now the UShas active cooperation with the Indian satellite programme,” Maria Sultan,a defence analyst said.