Template:Infobox spacecraft
The Badr-1 (Urdu: بد ر-ا, Badr-I or Badr-A) was a first artificial and the first digital communication satellite launched by Pakistan's supreme national space authority— the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco)— in 1990.[1] The Badr-I was Pakistan's first indigenously developed and manufactured digital communications and an experimental artificial satellite which was launched into low Earth orbit by Pakistan on July 16, 1990, through a Chinese rocket carrier.[2] The launch ushered in new military, technological, and scientific developments in Pakistan and also provided data on radio-signal distribution in the ionosphere. The Badr-I which means "New Moon-1" in Urdu language.[2] Originally planned to launched from United States in 1986, the Challenger disaster furthered delayed the launch of the satellite which changed the plan. After People's Republic of China offered Pakistan to use its facility, the Badr-I was finally launched XLSC in 1990 throughLong March 2E (LM2E). It was also the first flight of LM2E for carrying the spacecraft into the orbit.[2] Badr-I traveled at 61,500 miles per hour, taking taking 96.3 minutes to complete an orbit, and emitting radio signals at 145 to 435MHz which were operated by Pakistan Amateur Radio Society (PARS).[1] The Badr-I successfully completed its designed life, and a new satellite was proposed to developed.[1]
The history of the Badr-1 project dated back to 1979, when ISRO successfully launched her first satellite, Rohini on August 13, 1979.[3] On December 13, 1979, Munir Ahmad Khan managed a cabinet-level meeting with Chief Martial Law Administrator General Zia-ul-Haq and gained Suparco's status as an executive authority.[4] In 1981, Salim Mehmud addressed Munir Ahmad Khan proposing the development of an Earth-orbiting artificial satellite, the task previously achieved by India.[3] Munir Ahmad Khan took the matter to General Zia-ul-Haq who gave approval of this project.[4] As part of the development of this project, Suparco sent hundreds of engineers to University of Surrey to participate in the development of UO-11 which was launched in 1984.[5] After participating in various projects with University of Surrey, the team returned to Pakistan in 1986.[5] Munir Ahmad Khan then returned to General Zia-ul-Haq and obtained his approval to began practical work on Badri-I.[3] The project was started by Suparco's dr. Salim Mehmud as director of the project and was supported by the members of Pakistan Amateur Radio Society.[5] The Suparco began building the satellite at the Instrumentation Laboratories (IL).[5] This project was called "Project Badr" and the Project Badr was initially by Ministry of Telecommunications and the Ministry of Science.[5] In short span of time, the Project Badr was completed, and the first satellite was named Badr-1.[5]
The satellite was slightly bigger than Soviet Sputnik 1 satellite in size.[2] The Badr-1 was an indigenously built and developed satellite of Pakistan.[2] The major contractor was Instrumentation Laboratories and the Pakistan Amateur Radio Society, supported by Ministry of Science and the Ministry of Telecommunications.[2] The satellite shaped as a polyhedron with 26 surfaces or facets, was about 20 inches in diameter.[2]The power supply, with a mass of 52 kg. The satellite was powered with solar power panels with a 12.5 W electricity.[2] The satellite was designed in SUPARCO Satellite Control Center at Lahore. The satellite had one radio channel for digital store-and-forward communications.[2]
A transponder uplink was near 435 MHz, and the downlink was near 145 MHz. The telemetry beacon was near 145 MHz. Data from 32 telemetry channels, including information from 9 temperature sensors, 16 current sensors, and 5 voltage sensors, was stored in an 8k memory bank and transmitted at 1200, 600, 300 and 150 baud.[2] Originally designed for a circular orbit at 250–300 miles altitude, Badr-1 actually was inserted by the Long March rocket into an elliptical orbit of 127–615 miles. The cost of development and preparation of satellite was no more than Rs. 1.2 million.[2]
The satellite was originally planned to be shipped to United States in 1986. However, after the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster in 1986; the United States Government halt all the flights of the rockets. The Chinese government offered SUPARCO to launch the satellite on one of its Long March Rockets. The satellite was shipped to China and reessembled in Xichang Satellite Launch Center. On July 16, 1990, the tiny spacecraft was launched as a secondary paylong on a Long March 2E rocket from Xichang Satellite Launch Center. Badr-1, a low earth orbit satellite, circled the Earth's orbit every 96 minutes, passing over Pakistan for 15 minutes three to four times a day. The satellite completed its designated life successfully.[2]
The satellite was built and developed indigenously and domestically by SUPARCO's scientists. After the successful launch and operations of Badr satellite, Pakistan became the first Muslim country to place a indigenously manufactured satellite in orbit.[2] The satellite gave Pakistani scientists an academic, scientific, and an amateur community experience in telemetry, tracking, control and data communications as the satellite successfully completed store and dump message tests for 5 weeks.[2]
The satellite formed the derivatives and the basis of the Badr-B satellite.[2] The Badr-B was more sophisticated than Badr-l, with a CCD camera for pictures of Earth and a system that allowed ground stations to change the satellite's direction in space.[2]
| Structure | 26-Facet polyhedron |
| Thermal Design | passive |
| Mass | 52 kg |
| Solar Panels | 17 square facets |
| Average Conditioned Power | 12.5 watts |
| Down Link | VHF |
| Up Link | UHF |
| Telemetry Channels | 32 |
| Sensors | temperature, current, voltage |
| Data Transmission Rates | 1200,600,300,150 baud |
| DCE Memory Bank | 8 kilobyte |
| Launch Date | July 16, 1990 |
| Reentry Date | December 9, 1990 |