Launching New Frontiers: Why Pakistan Needs Public-Private Partnerships In Space Exploration

A new phase of exploration has begun in space. Private firms are providing new visions, more economical solutions, and a spirit of entrepreneurship to the space sector due to their greater discretion in spending funds and making investments as compared to governments, which often have centralised, bureaucratically distributed budgets. They are better equipped to take risks and experiment. Arguably, public-private partnerships (PPPs) provide a realistic avenue towards the actualisation of the strengths of both sectors, favouring cost-effectiveness and innovation, while building capabilities in the space sphere.

State agencies have always played a pivotal role in space. However, over time, the trend has been shifting due to increasing reliance on the private sector through PPPs. This allows the public sector to extract innate value from innovation and commercial efficiencies through such partnerships to achieve better results. The two key players can then share the costs, risks, and responsibilities of joint projects and ventures. This creates an environment and fast-tracks opportunities for innovations and cost-cutting methods.

In her book, Former NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver calls PPPs “visionary government resources with the scrappiness of risk-taking entrepreneurs.” Therefore, missions are cheaper and more effective, breaking new ground for synergy by combining private-sector innovation with government oversight.

Pakistan’s space ambitions have mainly been nurtured by the public sector, through the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO). Its initial foray into space was promising. According to the National Space Policy, Pakistan successfully launched two indigenous satellites, Badr-1 in 1990, followed by Badr-2 in 2001. Thus, Pakistan initially became the first-ever Muslim country to successfully launch satellites into orbit. After completing its operational life, the Badr programme was officially decommissioned in 2012. This clearly shows that while there were advances towards space technology development in Pakistan, progress slowed down because of SUPARCO’s resource constraints and the imposition of international sanctions.

While the space sector has become increasingly democratised through PPPs globally, Pakistan still relies heavily on the public sector. The global space economy has moved. It is no longer just government-launched rockets, now there are private companies designing satellites and building launch vehicles and sending missions to the Moon.

Multiple examples indicate the potential of PPPs; many developing states in Africa, Asia, and Latin America are advancing space ambitions through these partnerships. In Central Asia, Kazakhstan’s national space agency has collaborated with a private company, Eurasian Space Ventures (ESV), in various projects to establish joint space hubs, develop aerospace manufacturing methods for prototyping, and attract investments in designing spacecraft. Additionally, Nigeria’s space agency, the National Space Research and Development Agency (NSRDA), has established a phased PPP model. The government will fund all space-related activities and partner with the private sector for long-term space development.

India has also adopted a similar model. India’s space sector relies on private sector innovation coupled with government leadership. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Center (IN-SPACe) facilitate inclusive private sector participation in space-related activities. Recently, huge investments have been made in space startups in India. To reduce import dependence, IN-SPACe launched a Technology Adoption Fund of $58 million in February 2025, intended to financially support early-stage space technologies in transitioning to commercialisation. Subsequently, a separate venture capital fund of $119 million was approved by the Government to support 40 startups in October 2024, with funding ranging from 100 million to 600 million rupees, depending on the stage of maturity of the startup.

Pakistan’s efforts to revive its space sector are evident in recent years. In 2024-2025, there have been ambitious achievements, including sending the iCube-Qamar nano-satellite into lunar orbit, the launch of the PakSat MM-1 communication satellite, and the deployment of the PRSC-EO1 Earth observation satellite. With enhanced cooperation with China, Pakistan also joined the International Lunar Research Station project and Chang’e-8 moon mission in 2028, and an agreement was signed to train astronauts for future missions on China’s space station.

Apart from international partnerships, there are signs of positive change domestically. The National Incubation Center for Aerospace Technologies (NICAT) at the National Aerospace Science and Technology Park (NASTP) ecosystem, a flagship initiative by the Pakistan Air Force, is nurturing the private aerospace ecosystem by providing mentorship, funding, R&D facilities, and infrastructure, thereby indicating a strategic shift toward innovation and collaboration in space exploration.

Yet, there is a need for broader efforts from the government. The aforementioned international and regional precedents offer a clear lesson that PPPs are not supplementary but are indispensable. To maintain the current pace and ensure that it remains globally competitive, the Pakistan government must adopt a proactive approach by creating enabling policies, offering incentives, regulatory support, and fostering collaboration between public institutions and private innovators. With the right strategic direction, Pakistan can bring together public sector ambition and private sector ingenuity to build a self-reliant and globally competitive space sector.