About Us
A Legacy of Harnessing Space Technology for National Resilience
For over five decades, the Pakistan Space & Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) has served as the nation’s pioneer in space science and technology, building a proud legacy of innovation for national development. Today, as Pakistan’s National Space Agency, we channel this heritage toward one of the most critical challenges of our time: climate change. Our Space4Climate initiative embodies this commitment, transforming our advanced capabilities in satellite remote sensing, geospatial analytics, and Earth observation into actionable intelligence for environmental sustainability and national climate resilience.
Through dedicated missions like PRSS-1, PakTES-1A, and the cutting-edge Hyperspectral Satellite (HS-1), SUPARCO possesses an independent, sovereign capacity to monitor Pakistan’s dynamic environment. We employ this space-borne vantage point to deliver critical insights into pressing ecological changes—from the melting glaciers of the Hindukush-Karakoram-Himalaya (HKH) region to the shifting coastlines of the Indus Delta. By tracking forest health, water resources, land use, and atmospheric conditions, we provide policymakers, researchers, and communities with the evidence-based foundation needed to design effective adaptation and mitigation strategies, securing a sustainable future for generations to come.
Space Applications Center for Climate Sciences (SACCS) – Advancing Climate Science Through Space Capabilities
Building directly on SUPARCO’s foundational expertise, the Space Applications Center for Climate Sciences (SACCS) serves as our specialized hub for climate research and applications. The Center leverages our indigenous satellite fleet and international data partnerships to monitor and analyze key environmental indicators essential for understanding climate impacts.
Under our immediate action plan, SACCS focuses on six Essential Climate Variables (ECVs): Snow & Glaciers, Forest & Above-Ground Biomass, Land Cover, Atmospheric Aerosols & Air Quality, Greenhouse Gas Emissions (CO₂ & CH₄), and Mangrove Ecosystems. This targeted monitoring provides a scientific baseline for national climate reporting and policy.
Our medium-term vision expands this portfolio to include five additional ECVs: Stratospheric Ozone, Lake Water Quality, Leaf Area Index, Land Surface Temperature, and Sea Surface Temperature. Through rigorous scientific analysis, SACCS transforms raw satellite data into comprehensive assessments, vulnerability maps, and trend analyses, bridging the gap between space technology and actionable climate science.
Focused Areas
The Space Applications Centre for Climate Sciences works through integrated facilities that together provide operational monitoring, scientific analysis, and international collaboration to support climate resilience.
The Space Application Centre for Response in Emergency & Disaster (SACRED) serves as our operational hub for rapid satellite-based situational awareness during crises. By leveraging automated change detection and rapid mapping technologies, we provide real-time hazard alerts and critical damage assessments. SACRED functions as the key liaison between satellite intelligence and on-ground emergency responders, ensuring timely and data-driven actions during floods, earthquakes, and other natural calamities. SACRED also hosts United Nations Platform for Space-based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response (UN-SPIDER) Regional Support Office in Pakistan (PAK-RSO), work as a Data Analysis Node for Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum (APRSAF) – Sentinel Asia’s Joint Project Team Meeting (JPTM), providing space-based analysis to countries affected by disasters, and authorized user of International Charter Space and Major Disasters.
Our Earth Sciences facility specializes in monitoring the dynamic systems of ice and water that are critical to Pakistan’s climate resilience. We conduct detailed assessments of glacier dynamics, glacial lake formation, and coastal changes, while integrating satellite data into advanced hydro-forecasting models. This work provides foundational intelligence for managing water resources, mitigating flood risks, and understanding long-term environmental shifts in our mountainous and coastal regions.
The Atmospheric Research team investigates the composition and dynamics of the atmosphere to support public health protection and evidence-based climate policy. We track aerosols, criteria air pollutants, key greenhouse gases, and meteorological parameters to characterize air quality and atmospheric processes. These efforts enable near real-time air quality dashboards for major urban centers and provide critical insights into emission patterns and weather–pollution interactions. In parallel, climate modeling and projection capabilities are being strengthened to assess future atmospheric and climate trends, supporting national initiatives for cleaner air, climate resilience, and informed decision-making.
Our Geoforestry experts apply advanced geospatial analytics to the stewardship of Pakistan’s vital forest and mangrove ecosystems. We specialize in precise mapping of forest cover, forest species, tracking deforestation and degradation, and assessing carbon stocks. Our monitoring extends to the unique mangrove forests along the coast, providing essential data for conservation strategies, biodiversity protection, and national carbon accounting initiatives.
The International Scientific Research Exchange team is the cornerstone of SUPARCO’s global engagement in climate science. We build and sustain strategic partnerships with leading space agencies and research institutions worldwide. Our mandate is to co-develop collaborative research programs, facilitate data sharing and technical validation, and lead international training initiatives. These efforts are designed to amplify Pakistan’s scientific capacity, integrate global best practices, and position the nation as a contributor and leader in the global exchange of climate intelligence.
Message from the Director General, SACCS
The vision of SUPARCO’s founders was to harness space for national progress. Today, that vision
finds its most urgent expression in our fight against climate change.
At the Space Applications Center for Climate Sciences, we are proud to continue this legacy by
deploying Pakistan’s own eyes in the sky—our PRSS-1,
PakTES-1A, and revolutionary Hyperspectral Satellite (HS-1).
Our mission is to translate this technological prowess into tangible benefits for Pakistan.
We are not just collecting data; we are generating authoritative knowledge on essential climate
variables that include glacier retreat, forest carbon, sea surface temperatures, coastal
vulnerability, and others. This knowledge is the cornerstone of evidence-based policy, smart
resource management, and empowered collective action.
We stand at the intersection of a proud history and a demanding future, committed to ensuring
that space technology remains a decisive tool for Pakistan’s climate resilience and sustainable
development.
Dr. Muhammad Farooq
Director-General SACCS, SUPARCO
Responsibilities
The Space Applications Centre for Climate Sciences is organized into focused directorates that together provide operational monitoring, scientific analysis, and international collaboration to support climate resilience.
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SACRED – Space Application Centre for Response in Emergency & Disaster
The Space Application Centre for Response in Emergency & Disaster (SACRED) serves as our operational hub for rapid satellite-based situational awareness during crises. By leveraging automated change detection and rapid mapping technologies, we provide real-time hazard alerts and critical damage assessments. SACRED functions as the key liaison between satellite intelligence and on-ground emergency responders, ensuring timely and data-driven actions during floods, earthquakes, and other natural calamities.
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Earth Sciences – Cryospheric & Hydrological Systems Monitoring
Our Earth Sciences department specializes in monitoring the dynamic systems of ice and water that are critical to Pakistan’s climate resilience. We conduct detailed assessments of glacier dynamics, glacial lake formation, and coastal changes, while integrating satellite data into advanced hydro-forecasting models. This work provides foundational intelligence for managing water resources, mitigating flood risks, and understanding long-term environmental shifts in our mountainous and coastal regions.
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Atmospheric Research – Air Quality & Greenhouse Gas Monitoring
The Atmospheric Research team focuses on deciphering the composition of our air to address both public health and climate policy. We develop monitoring products that track aerosols, pollutants, and key greenhouse gases. Our work enables the creation of real-time air quality dashboards for urban centers and contributes vital data on emission trends, supporting national efforts toward cleaner air and informed climate action.
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Geoforestry – Forest & Mangrove Ecosystem Monitoring
Geoforestry applies advanced geospatial analytics to the stewardship of Pakistan’s vital forest and mangrove ecosystems. We specialize in precise mapping of forest cover, tracking deforestation and degradation, and assessing carbon stocks. Our monitoring extends to the unique mangrove forests along the coast, providing essential data for conservation strategies, biodiversity protection, and national carbon accounting initiatives.
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International Scientific Research Exchange – Global Partnerships & Capacity Building
The Directorate of International Scientific Research Exchange is the cornerstone of SUPARCO’s global engagement in climate science. We build and sustain strategic partnerships with leading space agencies and research institutions worldwide. Our mandate is to co-develop collaborative research programs, facilitate data sharing and technical validation, and lead international training initiatives. These efforts are designed to amplify Pakistan’s scientific capacity, integrate global best practices, and position the nation as a contributor and leader in the global exchange of climate intelligence.
MESSAGE FROM DG SACCS
At SUPARCO , we believe that space technology plays a transformative role in understanding and combating climate change. Through our fleet of Earth observation satellites, including our recently launched Hyperspectral Satellite (HS-1) , PRSS-1 , and PakTES-1A , we are positioned to provide high-resolution, real-time data essential for evidence-based decision-making and sustainable resource management.