Pakistan has named its first lunar rover “Jinnah-1”, marking a new step in the country’s space programme as it prepares to send the rover to the Moon in 2029.The Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) announced the name on Thursday, saying the rover will travel as part of China’s Chang’e-8 mission and conduct scientific research at the Moon’s south pole.The name was selected through a nationwide competition that received around 4,000 proposals, according to Suparco. Seven participants proposed “Jinnah-1”, with the final winner chosen through a lucky draw.Tayyab Karim, a 17-year-old from Bahawalnagar, was declared the winner for suggesting the name.
What will Pakistan’s Jinnah-1 rover do?
The rover is expected to conduct scientific studies of the lunar south pole, a region known for its difficult terrain and potential scientific value.According to Suparco, Jinnah-1 will study plasma, radiation and the geology of the lunar surface. It will also carry out experiments relevant to future lunar research and the possibility of human activity on the Moon.Suparco said the name honours Pakistan’s founder, Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, and represents the country’s “resolve, progress and new space horizons”.Pakistan’s space agency had announced its collaboration with China’s Chang’e-8 mission in 2024.“This collaboration marks a significant milestone for Pakistan’s space programme, as Suparco’s indigenous rover will be part of the mission to explore the lunar surface,” Suparco said at the time.The planned mission will put Pakistan’s space programme into a broader international effort to study the Moon’s south polar region.
What is known about Jinnah-1
According to Sputnik, the Jinnah-1 rover is being developed by SUPARCO engineers and is expected to weigh around 35 kg. Its reported instruments include a Terrain Testing Instrument (TTI) to study lunar soil characteristics, along with radiation and plasma sensors.The rover is expected to study the Moon’s soil composition, radiation and plasma, map the lunar surface and test technologies for future exploration. It will travel aboard China’s Chang’e-8 mission and operate near the lunar south pole. China is providing the lander, while Pakistani specialists are expected to control the rover after it is delivered to the lunar surface.The launch is currently tentatively scheduled for 2029, although earlier plans had indicated 2028.The Chang’e-8 mission is also expected to test technologies for using lunar regolith in 3D printing, an experiment aimed at exploring methods that could eventually support construction for future lunar bases.The mission will involve international cooperation, with 11 countries and regions participating, including Russia, Türkiye, South Africa and Italy, according to Sputnik.
Why the Moon’s south pole matters
The lunar south pole has become a major focus of global space exploration because of its largely unexplored terrain and the possibility of finding water ice in permanently shadowed areas. Such resources could be important for future scientific missions and potential human exploration.China’s Chang’e programme is among the major efforts focused on the Moon. The Chang’e-8 mission is planned as part of China’s longer-term lunar exploration programme.The US is also targeting the region. Nasa’s Artemis programme has planned missions involving the lunar south pole, with Nasa targeting 2028 for the first landing of astronauts there as part of Artemis IV.
India has already reached the region
Pakistan’s announcement comes after India became the first country to land a spacecraft near the Moon’s south pole in 2023.India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission successfully landed on the lunar surface on August 23, 2023, after a journey that attracted global attention.Its success came days after Russia’s Luna-25 spacecraft crashed while attempting to land in the same region.Chandrayaan-3 deployed the Pragyan rover, which conducted experiments on the lunar surface and transmitted scientific data before the mission’s planned operational period ended.India’s achievement followed the failure of its Chandrayaan-2 landing attempt in 2019, when contact with the Vikram lander was lost during the final descent.The success made India the fourth country to achieve a controlled lunar landing, after the United States, Soviet Union/Russia and China, while making it the first to land near the Moon’s south polar region.
