Pakistan's first lunar rover officially named 'Jinnah-1'
During operation, Jinnah-1 will conduct scientific research on south pole of moon
Published August 13, 2026
The Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) on Thursday officially named Pakistan's first lunar rover “Jinnah-1” after a nationwide public contest that received thousands of suggestions from across the country.
The national space agency revealed that the name was selected from the 4,000 submissions received during the public competition, in which seven contestants had suggested the name Jinnah-1.
The name was selected after a lucky draw, declaring 17-year-old Tayyab Karim from Bahawalnagar the ultimate winner for the official contest.
Suparco Chairman Muhammad Yousuf Khan paid homage to the founder of Pakistan, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and termed Jinnah-1 a symbol of Pakistan’s determination towards progress in deep-space exploration.
The lunar rover is planned to be deployed on the moon as part of China’s Chang’e-8 mission in 2029, marking a significant milestone in Pakistan’s growing participation in lunar exploration and space science.
During its operation on the lunar surface, Jinnah-1 will conduct scientific research on the south pole of the moon.
Last year, Pakistan launched its first home-made observation satellite from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in northern China.
