Beijing: Pakistan’s inaugural lunar orbiter, iCUBE-Q, has successfully captured and transmitted the first images of the Moon and Sun from the lunar orbit.
The iCUBE-Q, a collaborative effort between Pakistan’s Institute of Space Technology (IST) and China’s Shanghai University, was deployed on May 8 from the Chang’e-6 spacecraft, which is on a mission to collect samples from the far side of the Moon.
The breakthrough was celebrated at a special ceremony at the China National Space Administration (CNSA), where authorities presented the inaugural picture taken by ICUBE-Q to the Pakistani ambassador.
ICUBE-Q captured its maiden image of sunlight after seven days since the launch of the lunar mission. The image marks a significant achievement in Pakistan's journey into space exploration.
According to the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), Pakistan's first lunar satellite, ICUBE-Q, completed its first rotation around the moon in 12 hours.
A Suparco spokesperson revealed that ICUBE-Q had already completed three rotations around the moon, and the mission is slated to continue orbiting the moon for the next three to six months.