The Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) has confirmed that Pakistan’s first hyperspectral satellite, HS-1, will lift off on October 19, 2025 from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in China. HS-1 is designed to strengthen national capabilities in remote sensing and provide high-value data for multiple sectors across Pakistan.
Equipped with advanced imaging sensors, the hyperspectral satellite will support precision farming by delivering high-resolution spectral data to monitor crop health, assess soil moisture and improve irrigation efficiency. SUPARCO projects HS-1 data could enhance yield forecasts by 15–20 percent, a development that could directly benefit farmers and contribute to national food security efforts.
For urban planners and municipal authorities, HS-1’s spectral imaging will help track environmental change, infrastructure growth and city expansion. By detecting subtle spectral variations in built and natural environments, the satellite will assist land-use mapping and enable smarter resource management for sustainable urban development.
In environmental monitoring and disaster response, HS-1 will function as an important early warning and assessment tool. The satellite’s data will aid prediction of floods, monitoring of landslides and identification of geological risks in vulnerable areas such as the Karakoram Highway and northern Pakistan. Authorities will also be able to use the imagery for post-disaster assessment, transportation analysis and water resource modelling, as well as to monitor deforestation, earthquake impact and land degradation.
HS-1 adds to Pakistan’s growing remote sensing constellation alongside PRSS-1 launched in July 2018 and the recent EO-1 and KS-1 satellites launched in January and July 2025 respectively. Together these assets expand SUPARCO’s space-based infrastructure and provide critical information to government agencies, planners and emergency responders across the country.
As HS-1 prepares for its October 19 launch, SUPARCO and local stakeholders anticipate that the hyperspectral satellite will deliver timely, actionable data to support agriculture, urban planning and disaster resilience efforts nationwide.
