Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Organisation of Pakistan has planned to launch an aggressive space programme during next fiscal year.
SUPARCO has decided to kick off these projects to reduce dependence on foreign satellites for civil and military purposes.
According to media reports, the budget for Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Organisation for the upcoming fiscal year 2018-19 is Rs4.70 billion which includes Rs2.55bn for three new projects.
The funding includes allocation of Rs1.35bn for Pakistan Multi-Mission Satellite (PakSat- MM1) and the country is also planning to establish Pakistan Space Centre in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad with the allocation of Rs1bn.
The third project is the establishment of Space Application Research Centre in Karachi with the budget of Rs200 million in 2018-19.
These projects would help Pakistan developing a self-reliance capacity and reduce dependence on foreign satellites, mainly the US and French satellites for civil and military communications.
Analysts have stressed that advanced space programme was the need of time not only due to growing demand from the civil communications, including the GPS, mobile telephony and the internet but due to changing defense scenario in the region also.