The country's firs ICUBE-Q satellite will be carried aboard China’s Chang’E6 spacecraft, scheduled to depart from Hainan, China, at 1250 PST.

The IST said that the satellite has been designed and developed by IST in collaboration with Pakistan’s national space agency Suparco and China’s SJTU Shanghai University. The ICUBE-Q orbiter carries two optical cameras to take images of the lunar surface.

Following successful qualification and testing, iCube-Q has now been integrated with the Chang’e 6 mission.

Chang’e 6 is the sixth in a series of Chinese lunar exploration missions.

The launch activity will be broadcast live on the IST website and IST social media platforms.

China’s lunar mission will land on the far side of the Moon to collect surface samples and return to Earth for research.

The mission has significance for Pakistan as it will also carry a CubeSat iCube-Q satellite, developed by IST.

CubeSats are miniature satellites typically characterized by their small size and standardized design.

They are constructed in a cubic shape and consist of modular components that adhere to specific size limitations.

These satellites often weigh no more than a few kilograms and were deployed in space for various purposes.

The primary goal of CubeSats was to facilitate scientific research, technological development, and educational initiatives in space exploration.

These satellites were used for a wide range of missions, including Earth observations, remote sensing, atmospheric research, communications, astronomy, and technology demonstration.

Because of their compact size and relatively low cost compared to traditional satellites, CubeSats provided opportunities for universities, research institutions, and commercial entities to participate in space missions and collect valuable data for scientific advancement and innovation.

These platforms test new technologies and concepts, allowing access to space to a broader range of users and promoting collaboration within the space community.