SUPARCO

Space & Upper Atmosphere Research Commission
خلائی و بالائے فضائی تحقیقاتی مأموریہ
SUPARCO complex in Karachi, Sindh
Agency overview
AbbreviationSUPARCO
FormedCommittee: 1961 - Karachi Commission: 1981
TypeSpace agency
StatusActive
HeadquartersIslamabad-45900, Pakistan
Chairman
Muhammad Yusuf Khan[1]
Key people
Primary spaceportSonmiani FTR
OwnerNational Command Authority (NCA)
EmployeesClassified
Annual budgetIncrease Rs. 7.3951 billion (US$25.61 million)[2]
(2022–23)
Websitesuparco.gov.pk

The Space & Upper Atmosphere Research Commission,[a] commonly referred to as SUPARCO, is the national space agency of Pakistan.[3]

The agency, originally established in 1961 as a committee in Karachi, became an independent commission in 1981.[4] Its initial objective was to learn rocketry and high altitude research from the United States, which ultimately led to the development of a national satellite program.[5] This culminated in the successful launch of Pakistan's first satellite from China in 1990.[6][7] The agency was also an early participant in the rocket development program launched by the Ministry of Defence of Pakistan.[7]

The agency leads the National Space Program (NSP) and maintains the orbital operations of its satellites with support facilities throughout the country.[8][9] The agency has sustained significant criticism within Pakistan for failing to compete with its Indian and Chinese counterparts in terms of capabilities in spite of being established earlier than them.[10][11][12]

  1. ^ Yousafzai, Fawad (18 October 2023). "Govt appoints Yousuf Khan as SUPARCO chief". www.nation.com.pk.
  2. ^ "Rs. 7.3951 billion earmarked for SUPARCO in PSDP 2022-23". 10 June 2022.
  3. ^ "About Suparco". SUPARCO. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  4. ^ "Pakistan Space Program". www.aerospaceguide.net. Archived from the original on 2 February 2015. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  5. ^ Sahim, Sarmad (28 September 2020). "SUPARCO vs ISRO -". Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  6. ^ Lele 2012, pp. 44, 45.
  7. ^ a b Lele 2012, p. 46.
  8. ^ Staff Desk (14 July 2011). "NCA okays Nuclear Power Prog 2050, Space Prog 2040". The News International Directorate for Science and Technology. The News International. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  9. ^ "National Satellite Program". Suparco.gov.pk. SUPARCO. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  10. ^ Mughal, Bilal Karim (24 September 2018). "Pakistan steps forward in astronomy and space sciences". The Dawn. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  11. ^ Mughal, Bilal Karim (September 2014). "Metro Bus or Mars: The problem with our priorities". The Dawn. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  12. ^ Siddiqui, Salman (1 August 2012). "Lagging behind: 2040 – Pakistan's space od[d]yssey". The Tribune Express (TEX). Tribune Express. Retrieved 20 September 2012. fty years ago, Pakistan's [then] only Nobel laureate Dr Abdus Salam conceived the idea of the country's first space research programme and national space agency in 1961.


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