LAHORE: The Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) on Monday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Government College University, Lahore, to promote satellite technology and involve varsity students in developing indigenous designs and units for the Pakistan National Student Satellite (PNSS).

GCU Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Khaleequr Rahman and Suparco chairman Maj-Gen (retired) Ahmed Bilal signed the MoU on behalf of their respective institutions.

As per the seven-point MoU, the GCU and Suparco will collaborate for designing and development of Power Control Unit, Power Distribution Unit, Battery Unit and Solar Panel Unit of PNSS, for which the commission will also provide adequate financial resources and technical assistance.

Maj-Gen Bilal said the Suparco would also hold special tutorial sessions to enhance the capacity of university students and faculty members so that they could undertake satellite projects in future with more independence. He hoped GCU students would take a lead and play a key role in developing the country’s first national student satellite.

The Suparco chairman said the developed countries were holding symposiums on ‘entrepreneurship in space’, so Pakistan should work hard in the field of space technology for next eight to 10 years to be on a par with the other Asian countries like China and India.

“If we wish to excel in space science, our universities will have to work as incubators for inventions and innovations,” he stressed.

He also asked varsity scientists to design research projects that needed zero gravity environment. He said there would be a lot of funding at the international level for such projects in near future.

Maj-Gen Bilal pledged Suparco would also work for collaboration of the GCU’s engineering, geography, computer sciences and chemistry departments with Chinese and Malaysian universities, which were undertaking research projects in space science.

GCU VC Prof Rahman briefed the Suparco chairman and its technical team about various projects which were successfully completed by the students and faculty members in the last couple of years. He said the varsity’s chemistry department had more than seven US patents to its credit in recent years.

The VC, on the recommendation of Suparco chairman, announced forming Astronomy Society at the university level to create interest among students about space sciences. Besides extending technical support, Suparco will also provide a telescope and other basic equipment to the GCU Astronomy Society.

Published in Dawn, December 30th, 2014