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Pakistan's first lunar rover named 'Jinnah-1': Suparco

dawn.com · 7h · first reportShare

Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) on Thursday announced “Jinnah-1” as the official name of the country’s first lunar rover. The rover is scheduled to be sent to the Moon in 2029 as part of China’s Chang’e-8 mission, where it will conduct scientific research at the lunar south pole, Suparco said. The Moon’s south pole is known for its challenging terrain and potential to yield significant scientific discoveries. In a ceremony held in Islamabad, Suparco said that the name was selected from 4,000 proposals received in a countrywide competition. Seven participants had proposed the name “Jinnah-1” and the winner was selected through a lucky draw, according to a statement from Suparco. Tayyab Karim, a 17-year-old from Bahawalnagar, was declared the winner for proposing the name, Suparco said. The name pays tribute to Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and symbolises “Pakistan’s resolve, progress and new space horizons”, Suparco Chairman said. Jinnah-1 will study