Latest news with #GalaxySpace
Express Tribune
02-05-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Shaza Fatima says Starlink launch on track for December
Shaza also revealed that Chinese satellite internet firms, including Galaxy Space and Shanghai Space, have expressed interest in entering the Pakistani market. PHOTO: APP Listen to article Minister of State for Information Technology Shaza Fatima Khawaja has dismissed speculation over licencing delays for Starlink, stating that the satellite internet provider is on track to launch in Pakistan by December 2025. Speaking informally to reporters on Friday, the minister said that a consultant has been appointed by the Pakistan Space Activities Regulatory Board (SUPARCO) to draft regulatory frameworks for Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites, with the rulebook expected to be finalised by June. 'There is no delay in Starlink's licensing. The process is ongoing and structured,' she said, noting that Starlink has remained in contact with Pakistani authorities and is expected to spend the next five to six months building infrastructure ahead of its operational debut. Shaza also revealed that Chinese satellite internet firms, including Galaxy Space and Shanghai Space, have expressed interest in entering the Pakistani market. However, she clarified that no formal applications have yet been submitted. 'Our space policy is open and non-exclusive,' she added. 'We will facilitate any company that meets the criteria and comes forward.' Addressing the broader telecom sector, the minister acknowledged financial challenges, citing an average revenue per user (ARPU) of Rs270, the lowest in the region. She attributed the strain to currency fluctuations and rising electricity prices. The minister noted that the upcoming spectrum auction could help improve telecom services and confirmed that companies had submitted budget proposals for the next fiscal year, which are being reviewed in coordination with the Ministry of Finance. On the ongoing shutdown of social media platform X in Pakistan, Shaza rejected public claims that the move curtails freedom of expression. 'X has not engaged with the IT Ministry since the ban,' she stated, suggesting that any communication has likely occurred only with the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA). 'X is not in compliance with Pakistani laws,' she added, while noting that other platforms remain in contact and respond to government requests.
Business Recorder
23-04-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Space technology: PM expresses his desire to enhance ties with China
ISLAMABAD: Calling Beijing as a 'very trusted friend' and 'strategic partner', Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Tuesday that the country is seeking to deepen its cooperation with China in the field of space technology. The prime minister made the remarks during a meeting with a delegation of Chinese aerospace firm Galaxy Space led by its chairman Xu Ming. He said that Pakistan hopes to expand joint efforts with China in areas such as satellite development, telecommunications, and satellite internet, adding the country places 'great importance' on advancing its space technology capabilities. Tiangong: Pakistan to send first astronaut to China's space station Members of the visiting delegation expressed a strong interest in investing in Pakistan's growing space sector and exploring collaborative projects with national space institutions and private telecom operators. They also held meetings with Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication officials, as well as Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) – Pakistan's national space agency – which they described as 'very productive'. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
22-04-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Stronger space ties with China sought
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday said that Pakistan was keen to increase cooperation with China in the fields of space technology, space satellites, telecommunications, and satellite internet. The premier made these remarks in a meeting with a delegation from the Chinese space technology company Galaxy Space, led by the company's Chairman Xu Ming. Calling China a very trusted friend and a strategic partner, the prime minister emphasized that Pakistan places great importance on the space technology sector. The delegation members also expressed strong interest in investing in Pakistan's space technology industry and collaborating on joint projects with Pakistani space institutions and private telecom companies. Thanking the Government of Pakistan for warm hospitality, they told the prime minister that their meetings with officials from the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication and SUPARCO were very useful. Separately, on Tuesday, the prime minister expressed satisfaction with the growing trajectory of bilateral ties with Rwanda, and said that Pakistan seeks to further strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields, particularly trade, investment, and people-to-people exchanges. The prime minister met with Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Rwanda Ambassador Olivier JP Nduhungirehe, who is currently on an official visit to Pakistan. The premier welcomed the dignitary and conveyed his good wishes to President Paul Kagame and Prime Minister Edouard Ngirente of Rwanda. He extended an invitation to President Kagame to undertake an official visit to Pakistan. The prime minister congratulated Rwanda on opening its resident Mission in Islamabad and said that it would prove instrumental in enhancing bilateral trade, particularly, through enhanced B2B interaction. Meanwhile, the premier on Tuesday emphasized that Pakistan, along with other countries affected by climate change, requires special financial assistance from international financial institutions to address the challenges posed by climate change. During a meeting with Luc Triangle, Secretary General International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), at the PM House, the premier noted that Pakistan is among the countries most severely affected by climate change. "The 2022 floods alone caused losses amounting to $30 billion." He pointed out that these climate-related challenges have led to significant employment difficulties and losses for workers and labourers in Pakistan.
Express Tribune
22-04-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Pakistan aims to expand space cooperation with China, says PM Shehbaz
Listen to article Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Tuesday that Pakistan is keen to enhance cooperation with China in the fields of space technology, satellite communications, and internet services. The prime minister made the remarks during a meeting with delegation from Chinese space technology firm Galaxy Space, led by Chairman Xu Ming. The prime minister described China as a 'very trusted friend' and 'strategic partner,' adding that Pakistan places high importance on the growth of its space and telecommunication sectors. The Chinese delegation expressed strong interest in investing in Pakistan's space industry and pursuing joint ventures with the country's space agency SUPARCO, as well as local telecom companies. They also held productive discussions with officials from Pakistan's Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication. Federal ministers Ahad Khan Cheema and Shaza Fatima Khawaja, along with Advisor to the PM Dr Tauqir Shah, attended the meeting. Last year, Pakistan launched its first lunar satellite in collaboration with China. The ICUBE-Q CubeSat, developed by the Institute of Space Technology (IST) with support from SUPARCO and Shanghai Jiao Tong University, entered lunar orbit via China's Chang'e-6 mission. The 7kg satellite carried cameras and sensors for imaging and deep-space communication.
Arab News
22-04-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Pakistani PM meets Chinese executives in bid to increase cooperation in space, satellite technology
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday met executives from Chinese space technology company GalaxySpace and discussed increasing cooperation in the fields of space and satellite technology and telecommunications. Pakistan and China have deepened their space cooperation in recent months through the joint development of satellites and are planning a lunar mission in 2028. China has been key in advancing Pakistan's space program, supporting satellite launches like PakSat-MM1 and PakSat-1R, and offering technical training through collaboration between the China National Space Administration (CNSA) and the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO). On Tuesday, Sharif received a delegation from GalaxySpace, which specializes in developing and manufacturing low-cost, mass-production low earth orbit (LEO) satellites for the commercial space sector, with the aim of delivering high-speed broadband connectivity to remote and underserved regions around the world. The firm is often likened to US company SpaceX's Starlink. 'GalaxySpace delegation expresses keen interest in investing in Pakistan's space technology industry and joint ventures with Pakistani space technology institutions and private telecom companies,' Sharif's office said in a statement after he met with the company's chairman Xu Ming. Sharif said Pakistan was looking to increase cooperation with China in space and satellite technology, telecommunications and the development of satellite Internet. 'Pakistan is giving utmost importance to the space technology sector,' the statement quoted Sharif as saying. In February this year, Pakistan and China signed an MoU for Pakistan's first lunar rover to be included in Beijing's Chang'E 8 mission, which is a robotic exploration of the lunar south pole expected to launch in 2028. Pakistani scientists will operate the rover from Earth to map the lunar terrain, examine soil composition, assess radiation and plasma conditions and test emerging technologies to support long-term human presence on the moon. Pakistan's space agency has also signed an agreement with China for Pakistan's first astronaut to embark on a mission to a Chinese space station. In May 2024, Pakistan launched its first lunar satellite aboard China's Chang'e-6 probe, which successfully landed on the moon's far side, which is not visible from Earth. The mission returned in June, making China the first nation to bring back samples from this remote lunar region.
