ISLAMABAD: The Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) has announced that Pakistan’s first Hyperspectral Satellite (HS-1) will be launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre (JSLC) in China on October 19, marking a historic milestone in the nation’s space exploration journey.

The HS-1 mission represents a significant advancement in Pakistan’s space capabilities, ushering in a new era of cutting-edge applications in agriculture, disaster management, urban planning, and environmental monitoring.

In the agriculture sector, HS-1’s hyperspectral imaging technology will enable precision farming by capturing high-resolution data to assess crop health, soil conditions, and irrigation patterns.

The satellite’s analytical capabilities are expected to improve crop yield estimations by 15–20 percent, contributing meaningfully to food security and resource optimization.

For urban development, the satellite’s advanced sensors will facilitate infrastructure mapping, environmental monitoring, and urban growth analysis. By capturing spectral signatures of man-made structures, HS-1 will support sustainable city planning, efficient land use, and better resource management.

In the domains of environmental monitoring and disaster management, HS-1 will enhance early warning systems and rapid response mechanisms. Its advanced imaging suite will aid in flood prediction, landslide detection, and geohazard assessment, especially across vulnerable areas such as the Karakoram Highway and northern Pakistan.

The data will further strengthen post-disaster evaluation, transportation analysis, and water resource modeling, providing vital insights into floods, earthquakes, deforestation, and land degradation.

The addition of HS-1 to Pakistan’s expanding remote sensing fleet—which includes PRSS-1 (July 2018), EO-1 (January 2025), and KS-1 (July 2025)—will significantly enhance the nation’s space-based infrastructure and data analytics capacity.

The mission aligns with Pakistan’s National Space Policy and SUPARCO’s Vision 2047, aimed at establishing the country as a regional leader in space science, innovation, and technology-driven sustainable development.