The land of Pakistan has always produced intellectuals and extraordinary
people. It owns leaders like Jinnah, scientists like Mohammad Abdus Salam,
computer scientists like Arfa Karim, an artist like Ismail Gulgee, and mountaineers
like Ali Sadpara. Pakistan is not just a nuclear power but is also honored to
be the launcher of the first rocket into the outer atmosphere. The first rocket
was named Rehbar-1 which was launched into space on the 7th of June
1962 under the flagship of Pakistan’s Space and Upper Atmosphere Research
Commission (SUPARCO). It was one of a milestone in Pakistan history that stands
it out in the list of the world in developments.
In 1961 NASA find it out that the Indian Ocean region is the
black hole of data related to the wind structure of the outer atmosphere. NASA
invites all countries to work upon it in order to obtain such data through a rocket.
President Ayub Khan along with Abdus Salam went on a visit to the US and decided
to launch a rocket on their return back to Pakistan. Abdus Salam called Dr.
Tariq Mustafa senior engineer from Pakistan
Atomic Energy Commission’s (PAEC) in a meeting with NASA officials in 1961.
Dr. Tariq Mustafa led
a team of five members who were Salim Mehmud, Sikandar Zaman, T. Z. Faruqi and
Rehmatullah. All these scientific intellects have worked tremendously and have built
the Rehbar-1 within a period of 9 months. They have taken up their energy but
have successfully launched it and that surprised the world. It was built around
the U.S Nike-Cajun/Apache rockets carrying sodium vapor. Though it was
an experimental rocket played an important role in the development of the missile
program of Pakistan. After this success, SUPARCO launched more than 200 rockets
within that decade.
It was not an easy
task yet it was not impossible for the scientific intellects. These intellects
are the living assets of Pakistan. God has blessed each human with intellect
and skills with different parameters whereas the actual thing is the
exploration of the inside to stand out.
