Chronology of Pakistan's rocket tests
Encyclopedia
These are tables showing all the tests of rocket
s that have been carried out in Pakistan
since the early 1960s. Note that at the bottom of the list, some of the recent ballistic missile
tests have also been mentioned.
Badr-A
Badr-B
Rocket
A rocket is a missile, spacecraft, aircraft or other vehicle which obtains thrust from a rocket engine. In all rockets, the exhaust is formed entirely from propellants carried within the rocket before use. Rocket engines work by action and reaction...
s that have been carried out in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
since the early 1960s. Note that at the bottom of the list, some of the recent ballistic missile
Ballistic missile
A ballistic missile is a missile that follows a sub-orbital ballistic flightpath with the objective of delivering one or more warheads to a predetermined target. The missile is only guided during the relatively brief initial powered phase of flight and its course is subsequently governed by the...
tests have also been mentioned.
June 7, 1962 - April 28, 1972
| Date | Time | Launch Site | Launch Vehicle | Model | LV Configuration | Agency | Apogee | References | Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 June 7 | 14:45 GMT | Sonmiani | Nike-Cajun Nike-Cajun The Nike-Cajun was a two-stage sounding rocket built by combining a Nike base stage with a Cajun upper stage. It was launched 714 times between 1956 and 1976 and was the most frequently used sounding rocket of the western world... |
Nike Cajun | Nike Cajun Rehbar 1 | Aeronomy mission: SUPARCO Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission The Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission , is an executive agency of the Government of Pakistan, responsible for nation's public and civil space program and aeronautics and aerospace research... |
126 km (78 mi) | 1592 | 1 |
| 1962 June 11 | 14:50 GMT | Sonmiani | Nike-Cajun | Nike Cajun | Nike Cajun Rehbar 2 | Aeronomy mission: SUPARCO | 116 km (72 mi) | 1592 | 1 |
| 1964 March 18 | Sonmiani | Judi-Dart Judi-Dart The Judi-Dart is a United States sounding rocket. The Judi-Dart was launched 89 times between 1964 and 1970. The Judi-Dart has a length of 2.70 metres, a dimetre of 0.08 metres, a maximum flight altitude of 65 kilometres and a launch thrust of 9000 newtons.... |
SUPARCO Aeronomy mission: SUPARCO | 80 km (49 mi) | 1716 | 1 | |||
| 1966 January 12 | 12:30 GMT | Sonmiani | Judi-Dart | SUPARCO 19/66 Aeronomy mission: SUPARCO | 58 km (36 mi) | 1592 | 2 | ||
| 1966 January 26 | 12:18 GMT | Sonmiani | Judi-Dart | SUPARCO 20/66 Aeronomy mission: SUPARCO | 61 km (37 mi) | 1592 | 2 | ||
| 1966 February 16 | 04:30 GMT | Sonmiani | Judi-Dart | SUPARCO 21/66 Aeronomy mission: SUPARCO | 64 km (39 mi) | 1592 | 2 | ||
| 1966 February 16 | 13:36 GMT | Sonmiani | Judi-Dart | SUPARCO 22/66 Aeronomy mission: SUPARCO | 60 km (37 mi) | 1592 | 2 | ||
| 1967 May 3 | 14:29 GMT | Sonmiani | Centaure Centaure Centaure is the designation of a two-stage French sounding rocket consisting of a Belier starting stage and a Venus upper stage. The Centaure has been built in a number of 230 and has been launched from Hammaguir, Reggane, CELPA, Salto di Quirra, Esrange, Thumba, Sonmiani and Andøya... |
Centaure Rehbar 15 | Aeronomy mission: SUPARCO | 150 km (90 mi) | 1592 | 1 | |
| 1967 May 5 | 14:49 GMT | Sonmiani | Dragon Dragon (rocket) The Dragon is a two-stage French solid propellant sounding rocket used for high altitude research. Its first stage was a Stromboli engine which burned 675 kg of fuel in 16 s and so produced a maximum thrust of 88 kN. A Belier engine was used as the upper stage... |
Dragon D33? | Shahpar-1 Test mission: SUPARCO | 423 km (262 mi) | 1592 | 1 | |
| 1967 May 7 | 14:30 GMT | Sonmiani | Centaure | Centaure Rehbar 16 | |Aeronomy mission: SUPARCO | 150 km (90 mi) | 1592 | 1 | |
| 1968 March 23 | 19:04 GMT | Sonmiani | Centaure | Centaure Rehbar 17 | Aeronomy mission: SUPARCO | 146 km (90 mi) | 1592 | 1 | |
| 1968 March 29 | 19:20 GMT | Sonmiani | Dragon | Dragon D34? | Shahpar-2 Test mission: SUPARCO | 420 km (260 mi) | 1592 | 1 | |
| 1968 April 3 | 05:38 GMT | Sonmiani | Centaure | Centaure Rehbar 18 | Aeronomy mission: SUPARCO | 146 km (90 mi) | 1592 | 1 | |
| 1969 February 9 | 13:46 GMT | Sonmiani | Centaure | Centaure Rehbar 19. FAILURE: Failure | Aeronomy mission: SUPARCO | 55 km (34 mi) | 1592 | 2 | |
| 1969 February 13 | 13:48 GMT | Sonmiani | Centaure | Centaure Rehbar 20. FAILURE: Failure | Aeronomy mission Agency: SUPARCO | 12 km (7 mi) | 1592 | 2. | |
| 1969 March 31 | 14:18 GMT | Sonmiani | Centaure | Centaure 2B | Centaure 2B SUP | Rehnuma 1 Aeronomy mission: SUPARCO | 138 km (85 mi) | 1592 | 1 |
| 1969 June 20 | 14:30 GMT | Sonmiani | Judi-Dart | Judi-Dart SUPARCO | Aeronomy mission: SUPARCO | 59 km (36 mi) | 1592 | 2 | |
| 1969 July 16 | 14:34 GMT | Sonmiani | Judi-Dart | Judi-Dart SUPARCO | Aeronomy mission: SUPARCO | 65 km (40 mi) | 1592 | 2 | |
| 1969 July 30 | 14:45 GMT | Sonmiani | Judi-Dart | Judi-Dart SUPARCO | Aeronomy mission: SUPARCO | 64 km (39 mi) | 1592 | 2 | |
| 1969 August 15 | 14:30 GMT | Sonmiani | Judi-Dart | Judi-Dart SUPARCO | Aeronomy mission: SUPARCO | 65 km (40 mi) | 1592 | 2 | |
| 1969 September 10 | 14:30 GMT | Sonmiani | Judi-Dart | Judi-Dart SUPARCO | Aeronomy mission: SUPARCO | 63 km (39 mi) | 1592 | 2. | |
| 1969 October 22 | 14:10 GMT | Sonmiani | Judi-Dart | Judi-Dart SUPARCO-047/69 | Aeronomy mission: SUPARCO | 63 km (39 mi) | 1592 | 2. | |
| 1969 November 19 | 14:35 GMT | Sonmiani | Judi-Dart | Judi-Dart SUPARCO-048/69 | Aeronomy mission: SUPARCO | 64 km (39 mi) | 1592 | 2. | |
| 1969 November 20 | 13:50 GMT | Sonmiani | Judi-Dart | Judi-Dart SUPARCO-049/69 | Aeronomy mission: SUPARCO | 64 km (39 mi) | 1592 | 2 | |
| 1969 December 17 | 13:10 GMT | Sonmiani | Judi-Dart | Judi-Dart SUPARCO-050/69 | Aeronomy mission: SUPARCO | 63 km (39 mi) | 1592 | 2 | |
| 1969 December 31 | 13:15 GMT | Sonmiani | Judi-Dart | Judi-Dart SUPARCO-051/69 | Aeronomy mission: SUPARCO | 75 km (46 mi) | 1592 | 2 | |
| 1970 January 14 | 13:00 GMT | Sonmiani | Judi-Dart | Judi-Dart SUPARCO-052/69 | Aeronomy mission: SUPARCO | 75 km (46 mi) | 1592 | 2 | |
| 1970 January 14 | 15:15 GMT | Sonmiani | Judi-Dart | Judi-Dart SUPARCO-054/69 | Aeronomy mission: SUPARCO | 56 km (34 mi) | 1592 | 2 | |
| 1970 January 14 | 14:00 GMT | Sonmiani | Judi-Dart | Judi-Dart SUPARCO-052/69 | Aeronomy mission: SUPARCO | 75 km (46 mi) | 1592 | 2 | |
| 1970 February 11 | 13:30 GMT | Sonmiani | Judi-Dart | Judi-Dart SUPARCO-055/70 | Aeronomy mission: SUPARCO | 63 km (39 mi) | 1592 | 2 | |
| 1970 March 11 | 16:10 GMT | Sonmiani | Judi-Dart | Judi-Dart SUPARCO-057/70 | Aeronomy mission: SUPARCO | 64 km (39 mi) | 1592 | 2 | |
| 1970 March 11 | 15:15 GMT | Sonmiani | Judi-Dart | Judi-Dart SUPARCO-056/70 | Aeronomy mission: SUPARCO | 75 km (46 mi) | 1592 | 2 | |
| 1970 March 27 | Sonmiani | Nike-Cajun | Nike Cajun | Nike Cajun Rehbar 21 | Aeronomy mission: SUPARCO | 100 km (60 mi) | 1557 | 2 | |
| 1970 March 28 | 15:45 GMT | Sonmiani | Nike-Cajun | Nike Cajun | Nike Cajun Rehbar 22 | Aeronomy mission: SUPARCO | 141 km (87 mi) | 1592 | 1 |
| 1970 March 28 | 16:40 GMT | Sonmiani | Judi-Dart | Judi-Dart SUPARCO-058/70 | Aeronomy mission: SUPARCO | 63 km (39 mi) | 1592 | 2 | |
| 1970 April 15 | 14:45 GMT | Sonmiani | Judi-Dart | Judi-Dart SUPARCO-060/70 | Aeronomy mission: SUPARCO | 66 km (41 mi) | 1592 | 2 | |
| 1970 April 15 | 13:45 GMT | Sonmiani | Judi-Dart | Judi-Dart SUPARCO-059/70 | Aeronomy mission: SUPARCO | 75 km (46 mi) | 1592 | 2 | |
| 1970 June 17 | |||||||||
| Sonmiani | Judi-Dart | Judi-Dart SUPARCO-062/70 | Aeronomy mission: SUPARCO | 64 km (39 mi) | 1592 | 2 | |||
| 1970 July 15 | 15:05 GMT | Sonmiani | Judi-Dart | Judi-Dart SUPARCO-063/70 | Aeronomy mission: SUPARCO | 63 km (39 mi) | 1592 | 2 | |
| 1970 October 21 | 15:45 GMT | Sonmiani | Judi-Dart | Aeronomy mission: SUPARCO | 75 km (46 mi) | 1592 | 2 | ||
| 1970 November 25 | 13:15 GMT | Sonmiani | Judi-Dart | Aeronomy mission: SUPARCO | 75 km (46 mi) | 1592 | 2 | ||
| 1970 December 30 | 15:40 GMT | Sonmiani | Judi-Dart | Aeronomy mission: SUPARCO | 75 km (46 mi) | 1592 | 1 | ||
| 1972 April 7 | 14:20 GMT | Sonmiani | Centaure | Centaure 1 | Centaure 1 Rehbar 23 | Aeronomy/Ionosphere mission: SUPARCO | 150 km (90 mi) | 1592 | 1 |
| 1972 April 8 | 14:18 GMT | Sonmiani | Centaure | Centaure 1 | Centaure 1 Rehbar 24 | Aeronomy/Ionosphere mission: SUPARCO | 150 km (90 mi) | 1592 | 1 |
| 1972 April 28 | 00:10 GMT | Sonmiani | Dragon | Dragon 2B | Dragon 2B SUP | Shahpar-3 Test mission: SUPARCO | 400 km (240 mi) | 1592 | 1 |
July 16, 1990
| Date | Time | Launch Site | Launch Complex | Launch Pad | Launch Vehicle | Model | LV Configuration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 July 16 (See Badr-A table below) | 00:40 GMT | Xichang Xichang Satellite Launch Center The Xichang Satellite Launch Center also known as Base 27 , is a People’s Republic of China space vehicle launch facility approximately 64 km northwest of Xichang City, Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan Province.... |
LC2 | LC2 | CZ-2E Long March 2E The Long March 2E, also known as the Chang Zheng 2E, CZ-2E and LM-2E, was a Chinese orbital carrier rocket. Designed to launch commercial communications satellites, the Long March 2E was retired in favour of the Long March 3B, after two launch failures. Launched from complex 2 at the Xichang... |
Chang Zheng 2E | Chang Zheng 2E CZ2E-1 (23) |
Badr-A
- First launch of new Chinese launch vehicle. It had an experimental Pakistani payload.
Payload Mass Class Type Spacecraft Agency Perigee Apogee Inclination Period COSPAR USAF Sat Cat Decay Date References Level Badr 1 + R&D 52 kg (114 lb) Technology Comsat COMSATThe Communications Satellite Corporation is a global telecommunications company, based in the USA, and with branches in Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, Venezuela and several other countries in the Americas. It is present also in Turkey...
Badr Suparco 208 km (129 mi) 988 km (613 mi) 28.50 deg 96.70 min 1990-059A 20685 1990-12-08 1, 2, 5, 6. 1
April 6, 1998 - April 15, 1999
| Date | Time | Launch Site | Launch Vehicle | LV Configuration | FAILURE | Agency | Apogee | References | Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 April 6 | Tilla | Ghauri Ghauri (missile) The Hatf V, named Ghauri , is a medium-range ballistic missile developed by Kahuta Research Laboratories of Pakistan. Powered by a single stage liquid fuel rocket motor, the missile has an optimum range of 1,500 km and can carry a payload of 700 kg... |
Failure | Test mission: Pakistan (KRL) | 150 km (90 mi) | 1823 | 1 | ||
| 1999 Jan 15? | Sonmiani | Shaheen-I Shaheen-I The Shaheen missile series, named after a species of falcon found in the mountains of Pakistan, was developed by NESCOM's National Defence Complex of Pakistan... |
Failure | Test mission: Pakistan (PAEC) | 1823 | 1 | |||
| 1999 April 14 | 05:35 GMT | Tilla | Ghauri | Ghauri Ghauri-2/Hatf-6 | Test mission: Pakistan (KRL) | 150 km (90 mi) | 1823 | 1 | |
| 1999 April 15 | 04:58 GMT | Sonmiani | Shaheen 1 | Test mission: Pakistan (PAEC) | 100 km (60 mi) | 1823 | 1 | ||
December 10, 2001
| Date | Time | Launch Site | Launch Complex | Launch Pad | Launch Vehicle | Model | LV Configuration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 December 10 (See Badr-B table below) | 17:18 GMT | Baikonur Baikonur Cosmodrome The Baikonur Cosmodrome , also called Tyuratam, is the world's first and largest operational space launch facility. It is located in the desert steppe of Kazakhstan, about east of the Aral Sea, north of the Syr Darya river, near Tyuratam railway station, at 90 meters above sea level... |
LC45 | LC45/1 | Zenit-2 | Zenit-2 | Zenit-2 19L (1381573091) |
Badr-B
- Badr B was Pakistan's second satellite. Built in collaboration with the English company SIL, it had a mass of 70 kg and carried an Earth imager.
Mass Class Type Spacecraft Manufacturer Agency Perigee Apogee Inclination COSPAR USAF Sat Cat References Level 70 kg (154 lb) Surveillance Military Badr-B SUPARCO (Pakistan) and Rosaviakosmos (Russia) SUPARCO 996 km (618 mi) 1,015 km (630 mi) 99.70 deg 2001-056C 27003 4, 296, 552, 554 1
May 25, 2002 - November 16, 2006
| Date | Time | Launch Site | Launch Vehicle | LV Configuration | Agency | Apogee | References | Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 May 25 | 04:30 GMT | Tilla | Ghauri | Ghauri Ghauri II | Test mission: Pakistan (KRL) | 150 km (90 mi) | 1823 | 1 |
| 2002 October 4 | 02:30 GMT | Sonmiani | Shaheen 1 | Test mission: Pakistan (PAEC) | 100 km (60 mi) | 1823 | 1. | |
| 2002 October 8 | Sonmiani | Shaheen 1 | Test mission: Pakistan (PAEC) | 100 km (60 mi) | 1823 | 1. | ||
| 2004 March 9 | Tilla | Shaheen 3 | Hatf 6 | Shaheen 3 test | 554 | 1 | ||
| 2004 May 29 | Tilla | Ghauri | Ghauri test: Pakistan (KRL) | 150 km (90 mi) | 1823 | 1 | ||
| 2004 June 4 | Tilla | Ghauri | Test mission: Pakistan (KRL) | 150 km (90 mi) | 1823 | 1 | ||
| 2004 October 12 | Tilla | Ghauri | Ghauri test: Pakistan (KRL) | 150 km (90 mi) | 1823 | 1. | ||
| 2005 March 19 | Tilla | Shaheen 2 | Hatf 6 | Shaheen 2 test | 1 | |||
| 2006 November 16 | Tilla | Ghauri | Ghauri test launch | 1 | ||||