Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission
This is a collection of articles archived for the excellence of their content. |
Contents |
A backgrounder
From: Nuclear Threat Initiative
In June 1991, the Bush Administration imposed missile sanctions on SUPARCO under the Arms Export Control Act and the Export Administration Act of 1979. In 1998, the Clinton Administration sanctioned SUPARCO for unspecified involvement in nuclear and missile technology. During this time, SUPARCO engaged in numerous illicit materials transfers. In 1995, the United States warned European suppliers of SUPARCO interest in procuring missile-production products. In 1996, Taiwan and Hong Kong seized numerous shipments of Ammonium perchlorate (AP), a solid-propellant component, bound for SUPARCO from North Korea and routed through China. However, in 2010 President George W. Bush waived the 1991 and 1998 sanctions in order to facilitate post-September 11 cooperation with Pakistan.
SUPARCO’s benchmarks include plans to launch an indigenously developed satellite on 14 August 2011, and the development of Pakistan's first satellite launch vehicle. While the National Defence Complex (NDC) now develops the Hatf-2/Abdali, SUPARCO still operates the Sonmiani Beach Test Flight Range, which hosts test-flights for both the updated Hatf-2/Abdali missiles and the Ghaznavi and Shaheen missiles.
History
Hiccups and successes
Maninder Dabas, March 8, 2017:: India Times
From: Maninder Dabas, March 8, 2017:: India Times
From: Maninder Dabas, March 8, 2017:: India Times
Here Is The Story Of SUPARCO, Pakistan’s Space Agency Founded Before ISRO And Why It Failed
If the launch of ‘Mangalyaan’ in 2013 showed the world how ambitious India Space Research Organisation aka ISRO is, its entry into Mars orbit in 2014 left the world amazed. Recently, the successful launch of 104 satellites, out of which 96 belonged to the US, by a single rocket further established ISRO as a global Space agency.
Pakistan Defence
ISRO’s feats have made us believe in terms of Space Programmes, India is as good as China or even better. But, do you know that India's other neighbour (for some arch-rival) also has a space programme agency, which came into being eight years before ISRO.
SUPRACO ~ Pakistan's space programme
In 1961, Space And Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) was established by none other than Abdus Salam, the Nobel prize winning physicist. Pakistan’s space agency came after Salam persuaded then president General Ayub Khan to set up a national space agency. Karachi was its headquarters.
Launched first rocket in 1962
SUPARCO had launched its first rocket Rehbar-I in 1962 from the range off the Karachi coast with the help of American agency NASA.
Like Pak military and economy, the US also backed SUPARCO
Pakistan, right from the word go, sat on the lap of the US. Apart from the freebies that it received in terms of military hardware and dollars which propelled its economy, the US-backed SUPARCO too.
In the initial, SUPARCO buoyed with hope as four of its top scientists were sent to NASA to study space technology including Abdus Salam who went on the win noble prize in physics in 1979.
Afghan Jihad destroyed SUPARCO
Despite political turmoil like 1965 war and 1971 war, which saw country broken into two, the coup by General Zia and later the execution of former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in 1977, SUPARCO was well.
But General Zia-ul-Haq’s tenure as the de-facto ruler of the country shrank the fortunes of the agency. First, General Zia, who was the president now cut off the funding of major projects, including the flagship satellite communication launch. Then, the military general who probably didn’t even knew what acronym Suparco stands for were placed at the top. Its current chairman -- Qaiser Anees Khurrum – is an also former top general. The focus of the agency was shifted to counter India, rather than doing independent research.
The state disowned Abdus Salam
During the rise of Afghan Jihad, the state disowned Abdus Salam, the physicist who gave Pakistan so much. Abdus Salam was from Ahmadiyya sect who isn't considered Muslims by Sunni majority Pakistanis.
The government shunned all the assistance to Salam which affected the development of Indigenous technology which is the backbone of today’s ISRO or any other top agency. As a result, SUPARCO remained dependent on foreign dolls.
ISRO vs SUPARCO, where do they stand today?
Needless to say, ISRO as the repeated success has made it a wonder in the world of space programming. In contrast, SUPARCO is unlikely to have indigenous satellite launching and producing technology for at least two decades. It has set the target of acquiring indigenous technology by 2040. ISRO has already set plans in motion to reach Venus and revisit Mars by then, if not more.
The first agency of sub-continent is in a rather dismal state where it has been marred by administrative apathy inflicted by ruthless military supervision. The agency has seen repeated failures in last decades and failures are so colossal that it has had given up orbital slots because it couldn’t launch in time.
The agency’s hopes now rest on its Mission 2040 as by then it aims to have an indigenous satellite making and launching capabilities. By the pace its moving and kind of people, it’s being run by, SUPARCO’s Mission 2040 is likely to end despair as well.
Vis-à-vis ISRO
Despite its head start, Pakistan’s space programme today is decades behind the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in both mission success and technological prowess.
The year is 1961. A charismatic new president John F Kennedy has just taken oath in the United States, the Soviet Union has put the first man in space and a little-known band called the Beatles is playing its first show in England.
But something equally momentous is happening in Pakistan, where globally renowned physicist Abdus Salam is convincing president Ayub Khan to set up a national space agency, the first in the subcontinent. In September that year, Salam sets up the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) headquartered in Karachi – a full eight years before neighbour India formalises its own space agency.
The initial years of the agency are buoyed by hope. Four top scientists are sent to the Nasa to study space technology and Salam’s growing stature in the scientific world – he would win the Physics Nobel Prize in 1979 – help attract talent to the nascent organisation.
In 1962, Suparco launches its first rocket, Rehbar I, from a range off the Karachi coast with help from Nasa, a year before India’s first rocket would blast off from the Thumba launching station. Pakistan becomes the third Asian country to launch rockets after Israel and Japan.
But despite its head start, the Suparco today is decades behind the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in both mission success and technological prowess.
ISRO broke a world record by sending 104 satellites to space Ron Wednesday – in contrast, Suparco is not expected to have indigenous satellite launching and producing technology for at least two decades and the target it has set itself is 2040. India plans to reach Venus and revisit Mars by then, if not more.
But what happened to the subcontinent’s oldest space agency? The answer lies in a concoction of government apathy, poor education funding and an overarching military leadership dictating scientific goals.
In the 1970s, ISRO accelerates its technological and scientific intake in the run up to the first satellite launch Aryabhatta-I in 1975.
Facilities
Nuclear
The below entries provide analytical descriptions of selected nuclear facilities in Pakistan. Since definitive information on Pakistan's nuclear facilities is often classified, the descriptions and locations of these facilities are sometimes speculative, based on the most credible available open source material. Entries are regularly updated as further information becomes available.
Facilities Descriptions
Nuclear-Conversion
Chemical Processing Plant (CPP)
Nuclear-Education and Training
CHASNUPP Center for Nuclear Training (CHASCENT)
Karachi Institute of Power Engineering (KINPOE)
Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS)
Nuclear-Enrichment
Gadwal Uranium Enrichment Plant
Kahuta Research Laboratories (KRL)
Nuclear-Exploration and Mining
Nuclear-Fuel Fabrication
Kundian Nuclear Complex-1 (KNC-1)
Nuclear-Heavy Water Production
Multan Heavy Water Production Facility
Nuclear-Milling
Nuclear-Plutonium Production Reactors
Nuclear-Power Reactors
Nuclear-Regulatory
Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC)
Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority (PNRA)
Nuclear-Reprocessing
Experimental Reprocessing Facility
Kundian Nuclear Complex-2 (KNC-2)
New Laboratories Reprocessing Facility
Nuclear-Research Reactors
Nuclear-Research and Development
Pakistan Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology (PINSTECH)
Nuclear-Testing
Nuclear-Weaponization
Khushab Tritium Production Facility
Wah Cantonment Ordnance Complex
Missiles
The below entries provide analytical descriptions of selected missile facilities in Pakistan. Since definitive information on Pakistan's missile facilities is often classified, the descriptions and locations of these facilities are sometimes speculative, based on the most credible available open source material. Entries are regularly updated as further information becomes available.
Facilities Descriptions
Missile-Base
Missile-Education and Training
Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology (GIKI)
National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST)
Missile-Production
Defense Science and Technology Organization (DESTO)
Khan Research Laboratories (KRL)
National Defense Complex (NDC)
Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC)
Pakistan Ordnance Factories (POF)
Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO)
Missile-Regulatory
National Command Authority (NCA)
National Engineering and Scientific Commission (NESCOM)
National Security Council of Pakistan (NSC)
Strategic Plans Division (SPD)
Missile-Testing
