• EO-3 equipped with advanced imaging capabilities
• Satellite will assist in urban planning, disaster management and food security

ISLAMABAD: The Pak­­istan Space and Upper Atmosphere Res­earch Commission (Sup­arco) on Saturday successfully launched Pak­is­tan’s indigenous Electro-Optical Satellite (EO-3) from China’s Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre.

“Today’s launch of EO-3 Satellite is yet another significant milestone; a step forward in Pakistan’s journey tow­ards self-reliance and technological excelle­nce,” Suparco said in a statement.

Equipped with adv­anced imaging capabilities, the EO-3 satellite is expected to play a vital role in transforming urban planning, disaster management, food security and environmental protection across the country.

It said the EO-3 satellite would lay the foundation for a comprehensive Earth Observation Sys­tem aim­ed at supporting national priorities across multiple sectors and contributing to sustainable socio-economic development.

The Foreign Office said in a statement that the satellite also carries adv­anced experimental payloads designed to validate next-generation spa­ce technologies.

“These include a multi-geometry imaging module for enhanced imaging accuracy, an advanced energy storage system and an onboard AI-powered data processing unit to enable

real-time analysis and intelligent decision support,” it said.The Foreign Office said that the addition of EO-3 to Pakistan’s Earth observation satellite fleet would significantly enhance national capabilities in remote sensing by improving data continuity, imaging reliability and analytical precision.

The military’s media affairs wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), said the satellite would provide imaging data to “revolutionise urban planning, disaster management, food security and environmental protection”.

China’s Xinhua news agency said that the satellite was launched at 8:15pm (Beijing time) aboard a Long March-6 carrier rocket and “successfully entered its planned orbit”.

EO-3 is the latest addition to Pakistan’s growing satellite programme. The first indigenous electro-optical satellite, EO-1, was launched from China’s Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in January 2025, followed by EO-2 earlier this year from Yangjiang Seashore Launch Centre.

President, PM laud scientists

President Asif Ali Zardari termed the launch a “historic milestone”, describing it as a clear manifestation of Pakistan’s self-reliance, scientific expertise and growing capability in space technology.

He praised the efforts of Suparco’s scientists and engineers and noted that their work was helping align Pakistan with modern technological requirements.

The president also appreciated China’s “consistent and trustworthy cooperation” in the space sector.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif lauded the dedication and professional excellence of Suparco’s engineers and scientists on the achievement.

He also acknowledged China’s continued support in advancing cooperation in the space domain and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening Pakistan’s space programme.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar congratulated Suparco and praised its technical excellence and dedication.

He said the successful launch reflected Pakistan’s growing scientific capabilities and reiterated the government’s resolve to further strengthen the country’s presence in the space sector.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also congratulated the nation and described the launch as a “big achievement”, adding that Pakistan-China cooperation was reaching new heights in the space domain.

He said the satellite would support multiple sectors and further enhance Earth observation capabilities.

Published in Dawn, April 26th, 2026