The Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) has officially named Pakistan’s first lunar rover “Jinnah-1”, following a nationwide contest that drew thousands of suggestions from across the country.
SUPARCO revealed that the name was chosen from roughly 4,000 submissions by the public. Seven contestants had separately suggested the name Jinnah-1, and officials selected the winner through a lucky draw.
17-year-old Tayyab Karim from Bahawalnagar was declared the ultimate winner.
SUPARCO Chairman Muhammad Yousuf Khan paid tribute to the founder of Pakistan, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, during the naming ceremony.
He described Jinnah-1 as a symbol of Pakistan’s determination to advance in deep-space exploration.
The rover is scheduled to travel to the Moon in 2029 as part of China’s Chang’e-8 mission, marking a major step forward in Pakistan’s growing role in lunar exploration and space science.
Once on the lunar surface, Jinnah-1 will carry out scientific research at the Moon’s south pole, studying plasma, radiation and surface geography as part of experiments tied to future lunar research.
Last year, Pakistan launched its first domestically built observation satellite from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in northern China, another milestone in the country’s expanding space programme.
