Space Camp 2025 — Karachi Edition Design, Build and Launch Your First Satellite

★  Space Camp Comes to Karachi  ★

Following the resounding success of the five-city Lahore series, Space Camp 2025 made its landmark debut in Karachi — Pakistan’s largest city and economic hub. Held on 10–11 February 2026 at the prestigious NCRG Complex, SUPARCO Headquarters, the Karachi Edition brought the thrill of real satellite engineering to over 140 students and faculty members from nine leading universities across the city.

Organized by RESOLVE (South) in collaboration with RESOLVE Central, the Space Research Center (SRC) at the University of Central Punjab (UCP), and SUPARCO’s Space Education and Awareness Drive (SEAD), this two-day camp marked a transformative milestone in practical aerospace education in Pakistan.

Under the leadership of Dr. M. Kamran Saleem, Associate Professor and Director of SRC-UCP, and Dr. Muhammad Waseem, Director of RESOLVE (SUPARCO), participants from across Karachi’s top engineering and science institutions came together for an unforgettable journey into hands-on satellite development.

Nine Universities, One Mission

The Karachi Edition brought together a remarkable cross-section of the city’s academic community. Participants attended from:

•      NED University of Engineering and Technology

•      Hamdard University

•      Salim Habib University

•      Bahria University, Karachi Campus

•      FAST-NUCES, Karachi Campus

•      NUST PNEC

•      University of Karachi

•      Jinnah University for Women

•      Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology (SSUET)

 Teams were organized by university, with each group assigned their own workspace and CANSAT Explorer Kit. University placards on tables — NED University, Hamdard University, FAST, NUST, Salim Habib, University of Karachi — reflected the diversity and energy that filled the SUPARCO auditorium and assembly halls.

Day 1 — Inauguration and Satellite Fundamentals

The camp opened with a formal inauguration ceremony at the SUPARCO auditorium — a fitting venue, surrounded by banners celebrating Pakistan’s space milestones: PAKSAT-IR, PakTES-1A, the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), Pakistan Space Weather Centre, and the Space Objects Observation network. The setting itself was a reminder of how far Pakistan has come in space technology — and how far this next generation could take it.



Participants were introduced to the mission of the camp: to design, build, and launch their very own satellite prototype using the CANSAT Explorer Kit (CK-2508). Lectures covered the fundamentals of satellite systems, including attitude determination and control, power management, on-board computing, communication, GPS navigation, and payload integration.

The SUPARCO venue added a unique dimension to the learning experience — students were not just learning about space in a classroom, but inside the very institution that has been building and launching Pakistan’s satellites for decades.


Day 2 — Build, Test, and Launch

Day 2 was all about hands-on action. Each university team received their CANSAT Explorer Kit and set to work assembling their satellite prototypes under the guidance of SUPARCO engineers and university mentors. The assembly sessions were held in smaller rooms adjacent to the main auditorium, giving each team their own dedicated workspace.





Teams carefully stacked the five PCB layers of the CANSAT — GPS & SD card, On-Board Computer (ESP32), sensors (magnetometer, accelerometer, barometer), power system (LiPo battery & boost converter), and camera payload — connecting each subsystem and testing telemetry data in real time. The hands-on experience was deliberately designed to bridge the gap between theoretical engineering concepts and real satellite system applications.

A major highlight was live experiment demonstrations, where teams presented real-time mission data and system performance before experts. The energy in every room was palpable — students debugging connections, testing ground stations, and celebrating each successful data transmission.

The Highlight: Drone-Assisted CANSAT Launch

The most dramatic moment of the Karachi Edition came during the CANSAT flight evaluation. To simulate real aerospace testing environments, a heavy-lift drone carried the assembled CANSATs to altitude before releasing them for parachute descent — the same spectacular drone-launch format that thrilled participants at the Lahore camps.





 

As the drone climbed skyward and released the CANSATs, two bright yellow parachutes bloomed against the blue Karachi sky — carrying with them the real-time telemetry data streams that every participant had worked so hard to enable. The sight drew cheers from the assembled students and faculty, a moment that crystallized the entire two-day experience into one unforgettable image.

Flight evaluations assessed stability, communication quality, and recovery mechanisms — giving participants genuine insight into the challenges of real satellite mission operations. 

Closing Ceremony

The closing ceremony was graced by Mr. Muhammad Hasan, Deputy Director General — Space Technology Wing, SUPARCO, as Chief Guest. In his address, he commended the participants for their innovation, teamwork, and technical competence and reaffirmed SUPARCO’s dedication to nurturing young talent and strengthening Pakistan’s position in space science and technology.

His remarks emphasized the importance of sustained collaboration between academia and national space institutions to accelerate technological progress — a vision that Space Camp 2025 had brought to life across six cities and hundreds of students. 





A Milestone for STEM and Aerospace Education in Pakistan

Space Camp 2025 — Karachi Edition stands as a significant milestone in Pakistan’s growing aerospace landscape. Powered by the strategic partnership between RESOLVE, SRC-UCP, and SUPARCO, the initiative:

•      Strengthened academia–industry collaboration across Karachi’s top institutions

•      Promoted experiential STEM learning through real satellite assembly and launch

•      Encouraged innovation in satellite technology among 140+ young engineers

•      Inspired future aerospace engineers and researchers from nine universities

•      Brought the Space Camp series to Pakistan’s largest city for the first time

 By transforming the SUPARCO headquarters into a launchpad of innovation, Space Camp 2025 laid the foundation for a stronger, technology-driven future — one satellite at a time.

Organizing Team

Organizer

Role

Dr. M. Kamran Saleem

Associate Professor & Director, SRC (UCP)

Dr. Muhammad Waseem

Director RESOLVE (SUPARCO)

Dr. A. K. M. Shafaat Ali

Director RESOLVE - South (SUPARCO)

Organizing Institutions

•      RESOLVE (South) — Research Solutions & Ventures, SUPARCO

•      RESOLVE Central — Research Solutions & Ventures, SUPARCO

•      Space Research Center (SRC), University of Central Punjab (UCP)

•      SUPARCO — Pakistan Space & Upper Atmosphere Research Commission

•      SEAD — Space Education & Awareness Drive (SUPARCO)

•      Ministry of Planning, Development & Special Initiatives

 

#SpaceCamp2025  #KarachiEdition  #SUPARCO  #RESOLVE  #SRC_UCP  #SEAD  #STEMeducation  #spacetechnology  #CANSAT  #WorldSpaceWeek  #spaceexploration #UCP

 Contact

Dr. M. Kamran Saleem - Associate Professor | Director, Space Research Center 
Faculty of Engineering - Email: kamran.saleem@ucp.edu.pk
University of Central Punjab, Lahore, PAKISTAN

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