Pakistan, China sign contract to launch PRSS-1 System

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Space & Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) and China Great Wall Industry Cooperation (CGWIC) Wednesday signed contract for the development and launch of Pakistan Remote Sensing Satellite (PRSS-1) System.  Federal Minister Planning, Development & Reform Ahsan Iqbal and Yin Limping, President of CGWIC signed the historic agreement. 

Speaking on the occasion, Ahsan Iqbal said that signing of this historic agreement took the all-weather and time-tested friendship between China and Pakistan from higher than Himalyas to higher than the stars. He said that bilateral cooperation between the two countries in space domain will open new vistas of socio-economic and scientific cooperation, giving boost to the historic bilateral cordial relations in other fields.

He said that space technology is fundamental in socio-economic development, infrastructure up-gradation, agriculture production, urban planning in new age. Through this contract, the cooperation between the two countries in space technology will help Pakistan to carry out the planning and execution of development projects in China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)in more scientific way. Ahsan Iqbal said that this agreement will also transfer space technology to Pakistan. "Under this agreement, satellite will be launched in June 2018", he added. 

The minister termed PRSS-1 another flagship project between China-Pakistan relations after the CPEC and said that it would go a long way to redefine the bilateral relations. He said that it would also help Pakistan in national security arena by strengthening border security and surveillance apparatus. He proposed for sending a Pakistan astronaut in Chinese Space Ship in 2017 as a mark of strong relations between the two countries. He said that PRSS-1 will be the first remote sensing satellite, which will have multiple applications that will significantly assist in socio-economic and infrastructure development activities in the country. 

He said that project assumed greater importance in the backdrop of ongoing gigantic CPEC projects between China and Pakistan. He pointed out that it will also be utilised to help in various aspects of disaster management such as flood forecasting and damage assessment.