At 2015 Hours Hong Kong SAR- Beijing Time 25 April 2026 , China- People’s Republic of China- CNSA –China National Space Administration Successfully launched Chang Zheng – Long March 6 yao 15 Carrier Rocket ignited and took off at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center Shanxi Province.. China successfully launched the Assisting Pakistan in Completing Phase One of Remote Sensing Satellite Constellation Network……
Assisting Pakistan’s Remote Sensing Satellite Constellation in Completing a Phase of Networking# Long March 6 rocket successfully launched Pakistan’s PRSC-EO3 satellite | Assisting Pakistan’s remote sensing satellite constellation in completing a phase of networking the Long March 6 carrier rocket was launched from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, successfully sending the Pakistan PRSC-EO3 satellite into its predetermined orbit. The Long March 6 carrier rocket was developed by the Eighth Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC).
The launch service for the Pakistan PRSC-EO3 satellite was provided by China Great Wall Industry Corporation, a subsidiary of CASC. This mission was a customized single-satellite launch for Pakistan, and the development team provided stable and reliable launch services to Pakistan through high-quality contract fulfilment.
This mission marked the 640th launch of the Long March series of carrier rockets
I. Key Events in Phased Network Deployment
- PRSC-EO3 satellite launch mission
- At 20:15 on April 25, 2026, the Long March 6 rocket launched the Pakistan PRSC-EO3 satellite into its predetermined orbit. The satellite, developed by Pakistan’s Space and Exoatmosphere Research Council (SUPARCO), weighs over 500 kilograms and is Pakistan’s largest self-developed satellite to date.111
- This mission marks the “farewell battle” for the Long March 6 rocket. Since its maiden flight in 2015, the rocket has achieved a 100% success rate in 15 launches. After its retirement, its technology will be integrated into the development of a new generation of rockets.
- The networking process of the three satellites in the constellation
- PRSC-EO1 : Launched on July 31, 2025 by the Kuaizhou-1A rocket, focusing on national land surveys and transboundary river monitoring.
- PRSC-EO2 : Launched in two phases – on October 19, 2025, carried by the Lijian-1 rocket (a hyperspectral satellite); and on February 12, 2026, launched by the Jielong-3 rocket in a “one rocket, seven satellites” configuration.
- PRSC-EO3 : Launched on April 25, 2026, it enables three satellites to operate in coordination, improving the efficiency of Earth observation.
II. Key Support for China-Pakistan Space Cooperation
- China provides comprehensive services
- China Great Wall Industry Corporation, as the general contractor, provided rockets, telemetry and control support, and some satellite components (such as the propulsion system) for the three launches, and undertook the telemetry and control tasks during the orbit insertion phase.2
- The cooperation model has been upgraded from “launching on behalf of others” to joint development. For example, the PRSC-EO2 adopts a sea-based mobile launch scheme.
- manned spaceflight cooperation extension
- Two Pakistani astronauts have been selected for China’s manned space program and are scheduled to travel aboard the Shenzhou spacecraft to the Chinese space station by the end of 2026 to conduct experiments, marking the first instance of developing countries sharing manned space technology on an equal footing.
III. Satellite Functions and Their Value to People’s Livelihood
- Data application fields
- After the three satellites are networked, high-resolution remote sensing data can be acquired at high frequency, serving agricultural assessment, land mapping, urban and rural planning, natural disaster monitoring (such as flood early warning) and water resource management.2
- For example, during the 2025 floods in Pakistan, data from China’s Fengyun meteorological satellites assisted in efficient disaster relief efforts.
- Enhancing Pakistan’s autonomy
- The constellation has achieved a leap from “single-point observation” to “networked collaboration,” reducing dependence on foreign data and strengthening national space sovereignty.
- Pakistani Prime Minister Sharif called the space cooperation “a symbol of China-Pakistan friendship reaching the sky.
IV. International Impact and Technological Significance
- A global model of cooperation
- China-Pakistan cooperation serves as a “paradigm for South-South science and technology cooperation,” providing a valuable reference for developing countries in areas such as aerospace, energy, and people’s livelihoods.
- China’s space station has opened up scientific research projects to 23 entities from 17 countries, with the Pakistan mission becoming a model of “peaceful use of outer space”.
- Breakthrough in commercial launch capabilities
- Chinese commercial rockets, such as the Jielong-3 (with a perfect 9-time record) and the Lijian-1 (with costs reduced to below $10,000 per kilogram), are driving a reshaping of global rules.
Images and visuals are from their Respectives CMS China Manned SpaceCNSA-China National Space Administration