Pakistan's PakSat-1R geostationary communications satellite was on Thursday launched into space by a Chinese rocket from a site in southwest China.
The satellite was carried into space by a Long March-3B rocket from Xichang Satellite launch center in Sichuan province late on Thursday night.
PakSat-1R was built by scientists and engineers from Pakistan's Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission with technical guidance and financial aid from China National Space Administration.
The launch was witnessed by a group of Pakistani officials; including Strategic Plans Division chief Lt Gen (retired) Khalid Ahmed Kidwai, Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir, Pakistan's Ambassador to China Masood Khan and SUPARCO chief Maj Gen Ahmed Bilal.
The satellite carries a communication payload to facilitate the launch of a several new services, including broadband Internet, digital television broadcasts, remote and rural telephony, emergency communications, tele-education and tele-medicine.
PakSat-1R is expected to have a lifespan of 15 years and will be operated from SUPARCO's satellite ground stations in Lahore and Karachi. Speaking after the launch, SPD chief Kidwai expressed his gratitude to the Chinese government for supporting Pakistan in space technology.
Foreign Secretary Bashir said, "The successful launch is yet another shining illustration of the time-tested friendship between Pakistan and China and has ushered in a new era of cooperation in space technology between the two countries."
PakSat-1R was designed by China Academy of Space Technology, a subsidiary of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. It has communications antennas covering South Asia, the Middle East, East Africa and part of Western Europe.
The agreement for launching the satellite was signed in October 2008, when President Asif Ali Zardari visited China.
