Pakistan’s national space agency, the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), is set to launch a new Earth Observation satellite on 25 December 2025, in what officials describe as a significant advancement for the country’s space-based imaging and geospatial capabilities.
The 24NewsHD TV channel reported on Wednesday that the launch comes as Pakistan moves to replace the ageing Paksat-1R, a communications satellite placed in orbit in August 2011 with a design life of 15 years.
According to the report, the new satellite will strengthen geospatial services and satellite imagery while enhancing the country’s Earth-observation capacity.
Preparations for the launch are underway, and reports say the system will also contribute indirectly to improved high-speed communications.
The mission is being viewed as an important milestone for Pakistan’s space programme, with expectations that it will improve broadband access and digital connectivity across the country.
While Paksat-1R’s role in communications has already been succeeded by the PakSat-MM1 satellite, successfully launched in May 2024, SUPARCO has been expanding its presence in Earth observation as well.
The agency launched two new remote-sensing satellites, EO-1 and KS-1, in July 2025. The upcoming satellite is part of this new generation of systems.
It is noteworthy that SUPARCO has already entered the hyperspectral domain with its first hyperspectral satellite, HS-1, launched on 19 October 2025 from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in China.
HS-1 employs advanced imaging technology capable of capturing data across hundreds of spectral bands, enabling highly detailed monitoring for agriculture, disaster response, urban planning and environmental assessment.
Reporter: Bilal Niazi