Humans have always been fascinated by what lies beyond our world — space and its endless mysteries. Efforts to reach beyond Earth’s atmosphere began decades before the first Moon landing, which was a milestone in space exploration. Yet, questions remain: why did further Moon missions take so long, and why have we not reached Mars?
The answer lies in the fact that the Moon landing was never solely about science. During the Cold War, space exploration was a means to demonstrate superiority over one’s adversary. The further you ventured into space, the more advanced your missile technology was perceived to be. The technology used to launch a satellite and that used to deliver a missile are nearly identical — the only difference lies in whether the payload is a satellite or a warhead.
India’s recent Moon mission, successful or not, signals its missile capability to reach far beyond Pakistan’s range. Given India’s strategic positioning between two adversaries, it is unclear which neighbour such moves are aimed at.
Pakistan’s space agency, SUPARCO, lacks the funds to launch its own Moon mission. By partnering with China, a technological superpower and India’s strategic rival, Pakistan sends a different kind of message — that it has alternatives to counter India’s advances, with or without substantial resources.
In truth, such ventures have always been as much about military capability and geopolitical influence as about scientific discovery.
ALEENA AMEEN,
Lahore.