Islamabad: The Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) on Thursday officially named the country’s first lunar rover “Jinnah-1.”
The indigenous rover is scheduled to travel to the Moon aboard China’s Chang’e-8 mission in 2029. It will conduct scientific research at the lunar south pole, a region known for its difficult terrain and potential for major scientific discoveries.
Suparco announced the name during a ceremony in Islamabad, saying it had received around 4,000 proposals through a nationwide competition.
Seven participants suggested the name “Jinnah-1,” and the final winner was chosen through a lucky draw. Seventeen-year-old Tayyab Karim from Bahawalnagar was declared the winner.
According to the Suparco chairman, the name honours Pakistan’s founder, Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, while symbolising the country’s determination, progress and pursuit of new frontiers in space exploration.
Jinnah-1 will study plasma, radiation and the geology of the lunar surface. It will also carry out important experiments related to future lunar exploration and the possibility of establishing a human presence on the Moon.
Suparco first announced its collaboration with China’s Chang’e-8 mission in 2024, describing the inclusion of a Pakistani-built rover as a significant milestone for the country’s space programme.
The lunar south pole has become a major focus of international space exploration. NASA aims to land astronauts in the region under its Artemis programme, while China is also planning future crewed exploration.
In 2023, India successfully landed its unmanned Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft near the Moon’s south pole. The achievement came days after a Russian lunar probe crashed in the same region and four years after India’s previous landing attempt ended unsuccessfully.
