Pakistan Space and Satellite Developments

[Cyberian]

Rs45m for monitoring of crops thru satellite tech
Wednesday June 29, 2013

ISLAMABAD: Rs 45m will be spent in f2013-14 for monitoring of crops through satellite technology. According to Finance Ministry sources, during 2013-14, besides acquisition and processing of satellite data for area and production estimates of crops, surveys for field verification of satellite image data will also be carried out. Second phase of this project was launched in 2009 to monitor the crops through satellite technology. In the outgoing fiscal year, around Rs 74m were utilized against the cost of Rs. 165.7m for this project.

Besides releasing crops statistics, Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) is also issuing a monthly web-based crop forecasting bulletin covering all major developments and issues related to agriculture and allied disciplines.

It also monitored 2012 floods with special reference to agriculture damages through satellite remote sensing and GIS technology.

Rs45m for monitoring of crops thru satellite tech

 

[Cyberian]

Zed's Astronomical Observatory

Umair Asim​

 

[cchettry]

Not in this decade i guess, Pakistan is really not keen on developing lauch vehicles....!!

 

[Karl]

A dramatic shortfall in funding and spending cuts has resulted in various space and satellite programs falling behind schedule. ICUBE1 was meant to be launched in April with the Turkish cubesat Turksat-3usat and a few other cubesats from other countries but eventually didn't. No new timeframe has been given for a launch. From the student projects below it seems likely that Pakistan will attempt to launch this satellite indigenously.

The PRSS has been pushed back to 2015/16 (probably 2016) accoring to the Suparco website. It is being procurred from China.

'The satellite is envisaged to be designed, developed and launched in a low Earth orbit by 2015/16, through cooperation/ collaboration with reputed international satellite manufacturers.'

Pakistan Remote Sensing Satellite (PRSS-1)

New information on Susat-1 and the SLV can be gleamed from the Student Projects part of the Suparco website. Expect a launch after PRSS in 2016.

SUPARCO-Universities Interaction (Student Projects)

 

[zilahumafazal]

really nice

 

[Gentelman]

Thats true. I don't think India discuss the issues which he considers as internal matter. So better to look for other options such as space for cooperation.

I dont consider replying to such a person who has zero knowledge about words disputed geographical issues……

 

[fahad196]

i love pakistan becouse pakistan is very heavy country

 

[RAMPAGE]

i love pakistan becouse pakistan is very heavy country

kitnay kilo ki thi ?

 

[Echo_419]

i love pakistan becouse pakistan is very heavy country

Heavy country
Bhai Country hai ya kya

 

[Cyberian]

KWSB sends SOS to SUPARCO, PCSIR to save Keenjhar
Saturday, July 06, 2013

By Amar Guriro

KARACHI: At last the authorities of Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) have taken the contamination in Keenjhar Lake seriously and contacted Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR), Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) and NED Engineering University to formulate measures for securing the citizens of Karachi from contaminated supply from Keenjhar Lake.

The lake located in Thatta, a wildlife game sanctuary and protected under Ramsar Convention, an international treaty to protect wetlands, is the major source of drinking water for Karachi. It is highly polluted due to industrial effluent from Kotri and Nooriabad. According to an official KWSB record, Karachi takes 70 percent of its total requirement from Keenjhar Lake.

The contamination level in Keenjhar is significant, however, it further increases due to outdated pipelines, absence of proper purification and mixing of urban sewerage, for which the KWSB always blame others.

In a meeting with SUPARCO, PCSIR and NED University officials, on Friday, MD Misbahuddin Farid said that that the supply from Keenjhar is contaminated due to industrial and residential waste. “The industries in Kotri and Nooriabad are dumping untreated waste in the lake. Water Board taking the initiative has highlighted this issue on every channel, including Departments of Environment and Irrigation, SITE Limited, Commissioner Hyderabad,” he told the meeting.

Farid said that the board also arranged media visit to the contamination sites, so the issue can be highlighted, but it was to no avail, as only temporary measures were taken.

According to him, if the situation was not addressed, the supply would become unfit for drinking and irrigation both within a few years.

“Contamination would increase during the upcoming monsoon season and we can only point out the problem since different departments are responsible for supply to Keenjhar, we understand our responsibilities and have held more than 50 meetings with documentary evidence. Important decisions were taken during these meetings but to no avail,” said Farid. He also announced that KWSB will form an independent forum to look after the matter at Keenjhar Lake.

During the meeting delivering lengthy presentations, KWSB officials including MD Farid, Ayub Shaikh and KMC’s Dr Aslam Pervaiz held contamination at Keenjhar Lake responsible for the cases of the Naegleria.

Divisional Head SUPARCO Dr Mohammad Mansha said that Naegleria has attracted more coverage, when industrial waste entering supply is a bigger problem. Formulation of focal forum is a vital need of the hour, which would monitor the supply. “SUPARCO has already completed a study in this regard,” he said.

Dr Imran Khuwaja of NED said that strong inter-departmental teamwork is required and with the formulation of the forum, problems would be solved. Stakeholders must be invited to seminars, where the issue is highlighted.

Stating that the space and research programme would provide technical assistance in this regard, Dr Abdul Basit Khan of SUPARCO stated that a presentation would be formulated to identify all problems.

Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan

 

[Cyberian]

NDMA organises training workshop on risk assessment
Saturday, July 13, 2013

ISLAMABAD: The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on Friday organised a series of trainings for members of the National Working Group (NWG) on vulnerability and risk assessment.

The workshop has been organised in coordination with the World Bank. The lectures have been delivered by experts of the World Bank. The focus was on probabilistic flood and seismic hazards and exposure modelling. These trainings were part of the World Bank’s technical assistance to the NDMA and National Working Group on vulnerability and risk assessments.

The participants of the training course belong to various government departments and agencies, including the NDMA, PDMAs, Geological Survey of Pakistan, SUPARCO, Pakistan Meteorological Department, Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA), NESPAK, etc.

NDMA Chairman Maj Gen Muhammad Saeed Aleem said, “Such capacity building activities foster a healthy exchange of knowledge between international and Pakistani experts and will lead towards mainstreaming DRR through informed planning and decision making.”

World Bank’s Country Coordinator on Disaster Risk Management Haris Khan said, “The bank is supporting the priorities of Pakistani government in the DRM sector, particularly on moving from a response-based system to a more pro-active and holistic approach towards DRM.”

“The bank is bringing its global experience and technical expertise to address the DRM issues in Pakistan and is already helping the government in understanding the physical and fiscal risks posed by natural disasters,” Khan added. app

Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan

 

[Cyberian]

SUPARCO contributes to 2013 National Monsoon Contingency Planning
Thursday July 25, 2013

Snow cover extent around Indus Basin on 2 January 2013 monitored using MODIS data.

UN-SPIDER's Regional Support Office in Pakistan - the Pakistan space and upper atmosphere research commission (SUPARCO) - participated in the annual national conference on monsoon preparedness and contingency plan for the year 2013 organized by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on 26th and 27th June 2013. The focus of the conference was to provide an opportunity to Government Departments, UN agencies and various stakeholders to share their level of preparedness and respective contingency plans for the upcoming monsoon season 2013.

SUPARCO gave a presentation on the situation likely to be created due to melting of glaciers and heavy snowfall received during winters earlier. The experts explained the assessment of the snow cover and expected river run-off in the Indus Basin. This study focuses on the assessment of the snow cover dynamics on a monthly basis from 2008-2013. MODIS (On-board TERRA Satellite) imagery of 250m spatial resolution was processed for snow cover extraction. The snow cover was calculated for the whole Indus River basin which includes both eastern as well as western tributaries.

The trend in the snow covered area was calculated including monthly snow cover averages. It was emphasized by SUPARCO that the snow cover in 2013 is 17% higher as compared to previous years (2008-2012) and if the thermal conditions and temperature remains above average then there would be higher runoff contribution due to snowmelt as compared to the years 2008-2012.

SUPARCO contributes to 2013 National Monsoon Contingency Planning | UN-SPIDER Knowledge Portal

 

[Cyberian]

Pakistan: SUPARCO hosts COSPAS-SARSAT Search and Rescue Exercises
Wednesday July 31 2013

Two Search and Rescue (SAR) exercises and a basic SAR training course were hosted by the Pakistan Rescue Coordinate Centre (PARCC). PARCC is a part of the satellite ground segment of the COSPAS-SARSAT programme of SUPARCO (UN-SPIDER's Regional Support Office in Pakistan) and installed at Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA), which is responsible for all matters of aircraft in Pakistan. COSPAS-SARSAT is an international humanitarian satellite-based search and rescue program. The programme provides accurate, timely and reliable global distress alert and location data free of charge and on a non-discriminatory basis to help Search and Rescue (SAR) authorities assist persons in distress. It utilizes satellites and ground facilities to detect and locate ships, aircrafts and land mobiles in distress, all of which have a direct impact on the probability of survival.

The Pakistan ground segment consists of the Mission Control Center (PAMCC) and Local User Terminal (PALUT). It is operational on a 24/7/365 basis and located at the SUPARCO Headquarters in Karachi. The PAMCC is connected to the Rescue Coordinate Centers (RCCs) installed at PCAA for Aircrafts and Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (MSA) for ships.

On 7th Mar 2013 and 30th Apr 2013, 37 Officials from different organizations participated in an exercise. The aim of the exercise was to provide a learning experience in the field of SAR operations, to test and improve operational plans, liaison and coordination skills, in the light of International Civil Aviation Organization regulations and standards.

Under COSPAS-SARSAT, a basic SAR training course of two weeks was organized by PARCC installed at Civil Aviation Authority from 8 to 19 July 2013. Around 20 Officials participated in the course from different organizations to enhance SAR capabilities, Matrix of Pakistan terms of training exercise, coordination, relationship between stakeholders and to enhance the SAR Program for Pakistan.

Pakistan: SUPARCO hosts COSPAS-SARSAT Search and Rescue Exercises | UN-SPIDER Knowledge Portal

 

[xyxmt]

Pakistan should spend the money on reducing poverty and improve its economy, rather than use it on fancy stuff like space technology.

India need to do that more than Pakistan, India's poverty data effect the world averages

 

[Cyberian]

SUPARCO'S presentation on Pakistan Remote Sensing Satellite
PRESS RELEASE: PR No. 85
Islamabad, Thursday August 15, 2013

Chairman SUPARCO, Major General Ahmad Bilal briefed Minister of Science & Technology, Mr. Zahid Hamid & Minister of State for Information Technology, Ms. Anusha Rehman at a meeting here on Thursday, giving details of the road map for space technology development & utilization of space technology applications

The meeting observed that space technology application these days acts as a catalyst in socio-economic development in all the countries. The utility of space technology applications in sectors of Agriculture, Hydrology Land Management Tele-Education & Tele-Medicine etc were discussed at length, so as to work out the implementation methodology at the national level.

The aspect of e-government also came under discussion and it was decided that all existing expertise within the country be utilized to modernize the management methodology using e-government on priority, by the fastest possible means.

It was also decided that geo spatial & hydrographic information along with positioning system technology available through Global Navigation Satellites should be effectively utilized to support management at Federal, Provincial, District & Tehsil levels & should form an important part of e-government system.

The Minister of Science & Technology also directed SUPARCO to acquire capabilities for indigenous satellite development & its launching into space. The Minister assured full support from the government for the development of SUPARCO project. The meting was attended by senior officers and scientists of the Ministry and SUPARCO.

Press Information Department (Government of Pakistan)