Space policy in Pakistan is still discussed through launches, satellites and national prestige. That is understandable, but increasingly outdated. The global space economy is shifting from what goes into orbit to what comes back from it, for instance, data, connectivity, navigation, weather intelligence and services that improve decisions on Earth.

The numbers are striking. The OECD estimates global space-related revenues at $550-600 billion in 2025, already approaching the scale of the semiconductor industry. The World Economic Forum and McKinsey project the broader space economy to reach $1.8 trillion by 2035, up from $630 billion in 2023. Crucially, the fastest growth is expected not in rockets and spacecraft, but in "reach" sectors enabled by communications, positioning, navigation, timing and Earth observation.

For Pakistan, the bigger opportunity is therefore to build businesses, public services and research around satellite data.

That opportunity is becoming tangible. Pakistan launched PRSC-EO1 in January 2025, followed by PRSC-EO2 and PRSC-EO3 in 2026. SUPARCO lists applications ranging from precision agriculture and irrigation management to crop-yield prediction, urban planning, glacier and water monitoring, and disaster response. These uses sit directly inside some of Pakistan's most persistent economic vulnerabilities.

Agriculture is an obvious starting point. Satellite imagery combined with........

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