China, Pakistan cooperate in
space By Syed Fazl-e-Haider
QUETTA, Pakistan - In a joint statement
issued last week at the conclusion of Pakistani
Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz's official visit to
China, both sides said they are determined to
elevate their friendship and strategic
partnership.
As strategic partners, China
and Pakistan have agreed to enhance cooperation in
the areas of space science and technology. While
China can transfer space technology to Pakistan,
the South Asian country can in return assist China
in
space
by establishing a station on its soil to track
Chinese satellites.
The two sides have
reportedly agreed that the Space and Upper
Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) will form
a working group that will negotiate the purchase
of satellites from China. SUPARCO, Pakistan's
national space agency, was established in 1962 as
an autonomous research and development
organization under the federal government.
Pakistan-China bilateral cooperation in
the space industry could span a broad spectrum,
including climate science, clean energy
technologies, clean water technologies,
cyber-security, basic space, atmospheric and earth
sciences, and marine sciences.
It is worth
mentioning that it was China that launched
Pakistan's first satellite into orbit in 1990
because Pakistan had no spaceport. Badr-A,
Pakistan's first indigenously developed satellite,
was launched on July 16 that year from Xichang
Launch Center in southwestern China's Sichuan
province. It was launched with the Long March 2E
rocket, which is designed to lift 6,800 kilograms
to a low elliptical orbit ranging from 400 to 800
kilometers above Earth. The rocket, called Cluster
Carrier, blasted off from a new pad built to
launch bigger boosters. The Long March 2E, with
four boosters strapped on, carried a large
Australian dummy satellite. The satellite
successfully completed its design life.
The visiting Pakistani prime minister
sought Chinese cooperation in rocket science and
space technology. China can help Pakistan in
developing and launching satellites. Pakistan's
space program is aimed at furthering research in
space science and allied fields, enhancing
indigenous capabilities in space technology, and
promoting the peaceful applications of space
science and technology for the socio-economic
development of the country.
SUPARCO
started building a small amateur radio satellite
in late 1986 with support from the Pakistan
Amateur Radio Society. It was supposed to be
launched by a US space shuttle, but the 1986
Challenger explosion and the resulting delays
required a change in plans. In December 2001,
Pakistan launched its second satellite, Badr-B, an
Earth-observation satellite, on a Zenit 2 rocket
from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. It was
designed by the United Kingdom's Space Innovations
Ltd. Last month, Pakistan successfully test-fired
a Hataf VII cruise missile with a range of 700km.
It is capable of carrying various types of
warheads, including nuclear.
Pakistan is
implementing a strategic program for launching the
country's own satellite to replace Paksat-1, which
has already completed its design life. Launched in
February 1996, Paksat-1 was Pakistan's first
geostationary satellite and was designed to serve
Indonesia. It was originally manufactured by
Boeing and used the HS 601 spacecraft design.
According to the plan, the Paksat-1R satellite
will replace Paksat-1 in 2010. The new Pakistani
satellite would orbit the Earth at a height of
200-300km and complete a round of its orbit in 70
minutes. The rocket carrying the new satellite
would travel at a speed of 29,000 km/h. Islamabad
wants to get space technology from China to
achieve the ambitious goals of economic progress
and making the country impregnable.
SUPARCO signed a consulting deal with
Telesat last month for advice on the purchase,
manufacture and launch of the Paksat-1R satellite.
Under the agreement, Telesat will help the
Pakistani agency find a manufacturer and provide
technical and commercial advice during the
negotiation process. Telesat will also help
oversee the construction of the new satellite and
monitor the launch and in-orbit testing services.
Beijing launched its first satellite, Mao
1, to Earth orbit on its own Long March space
rocket in April 1970. This made China the fifth
nation with a space rocket. Since 1970, China has
made scores of successful satellite launches. In
2000, Beijing orbited its first high-resolution
electro-optical imaging satellite, which relays
its digital pictures by radio to ground stations.
China launched its first military communications
satellite in January 2000 as part of a People's
Liberation Army command-and-control network
linking forces for combat. By the end of 2001,
China had launched nearly 50 satellites with a 90%
success rate. The spacecraft have included remote
sensing, communications and weather satellites for
both civilian and military use.
China
started offering commercial space-launch services
to foreign satellite owners in 1986 during a time
when US shuttles and European rockets were
grounded. Numerous satellites have been launched
for foreign clients. Great Wall Industrial Corp is
China's commercial space-launch firm. China
Aerospace Science and Technology Corp is a large
state-owned enterprise that builds five different
series of satellites. Today, Beijing is looking
forward to expanding its share of the
international market for satellite launches and
other space services. It has already signed 16
pacts with 13 governments and organizations and
established space-industry cooperation with more
than 40 countries and international organizations.
Experts in Pakistan view China as the only
country that is in a position to transfer space
technology to Pakistan. In the initial stages,
Pakistan would place its satellite in orbit with
Chinese assistance and later develop rockets
indigenously.
Launching a remote-sensing
satellite is Pakistan's first priority because
such a satellite can be used in a variety of
cartographic studies. Chinese rocket technology,
according to the experts, is the best in the world
- the United States drops satellites into the sea
and then a special ship recovers them, while China
has succeeded in landing its spacecraft on ground.
China recently startled the world by
destroying one of its old satellites in space.
Numerous US satellites in space are now within
range of Chinese anti-satellite weapons. China has
not only achieved the capability of launching its
satellites into space but is also developing
rockets.
Pakistan and China have been
strengthening cooperation in the space industry.
Last August, China committed to work with Pakistan
to launch three Earth-resource satellites over the
next five years. The relevant institutions of the
two countries had already started the groundwork
to launch the satellites within the stipulated
period.
Pakistan, China and seven other
countries signed a treaty for the establishment of
the Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization
(APSCO) in 2005. China's legislature ratified the
treaty last June. The APSCO will be formally
established after China receives approvals from at
least five participating countries' parliaments.
China is actively engaged in the setting up of
APSCO, which will be based in Beijing. The
formation of APSCO is expected to facilitate
further exchanges and cooperation in space
technology in the region.
Syed
Fazl-e-Haider, sfazlehaider05@yahoo.com,
is a development analyst based in Quetta,
Pakistan. He is the author of six books,
including The Economic Development of
Balochistan, published in May 2004.
(Copyright 2007 Asia Times Online Ltd.
All rights reserved. Please contact us about sales, syndication and republishing.)
Head
Office: Unit B, 16/F, Li Dong Building, No. 9 Li Yuen Street East,
Central, Hong Kong Thailand Bureau:
11/13 Petchkasem Road, Hua Hin, Prachuab Kirikhan, Thailand 77110
