China delivers space data to Pakistan

On Friday, China delivered to Pakistan the data obtained by a small experimental satellite jointly developed by researchers from both countries, according to the China National Space Administration.

Zhang Kejian, director of the CNSA, handed the data carrier over to Pakistani Ambassador to China Khalil-ur-Rahman Hashmi at a ceremony held at the administration's Beijing headquarters. They also unveiled the first image taken by the cube satellite, known as ICUBE-Q, at the ceremony.

The spacecraft was jointly developed by engineers from China's Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Pakistan's Institute of Space Technology.

It was onboard China's Chang'e 6 robotic lunar probe, which was launched from the Wenchang Space Launch Center in China's Hainan province on May 3 to recover samples from the moon's far side, which permanently faces away from Earth.

As its secondary task, the Chinese spacecraft is set to bring four science payloads to the moon, including a passive laser retroreflector from Italy and the Sino-Pakistani satellite.

According to the CNSA, the ICUBE-Q was deployed in a lunar orbit on Wednesday afternoon and soon took the first image, which shows the sun.

The project has helped to demonstrate technologies for cube satellites to make detections and measurements in lunar orbit, examine the cooperation methods for China and Pakistan to carry out deep-space explorations and also pave the way for following collaboration between the two sides, the Chinese administration said.