Iran (IMNA) - The satellites were integrated with the Russian launch vehicle at the Vostochny Spaceport, marking the seventh occasion on which Iran has relied on Russian rockets to deploy its satellites. According to Iran’s Space Agency chief, Hassan Salarieh, the launch signals promising prospects for the country’s space industry.
This mission represents the first time Iran has launched multiple satellites simultaneously. Among them is Tolu-3, Iran’s heaviest satellite to date, weighing 150 kilograms. It is the country’s most advanced Earth-observation satellite so far, with approximately 80 percent of its components produced domestically. The satellite reflects significant progress in Iran’s efforts to localize satellite cluster technologies. Iran also plans to launch its first telecommunications satellite cluster, named Shahid Soleimani, next year.
Ahead of the launch, Iran’s Ambassador to Moscow, Kazem Jalali, described the mission as a major milestone for Iran’s space program. In posts on the social media platform X, he stated that the satellites were fully designed and built using indigenous Iranian technology, developed through cooperation among government bodies, universities, and private knowledge-based companies. He noted that while all design and construction phases were completed inside Iran, the launch was conducted in collaboration with Russia.
Tolu-3 (also referred to as Paya) is capable of capturing black-and-white images with a resolution of about five meters and color images with a resolution of roughly 10 meters. Zafar-2, developed by the Iran University of Science and Technology, is intended for monitoring natural resources, evaluating environmental conditions, and supporting disaster management and mapping efforts. Kowsar-1.5, an enhanced version of the earlier Kowsar and Hodhod satellites, incorporates Internet of Things (IoT) technology, allowing real-time data transmission for smart monitoring applications.
Iran entered the space sector in 2009 with the launch of the Omid satellite and has continued to expand its civilian space program despite Western sanctions.
Your Comment