Iran prepares to launch satellites of its own production
Iran plans to launch five domestic satellites within the next year, Caspian News agency reports citing the secretary of Head-quarters for the Implementation of the General Scientific Roadmap, Mansour Kabganian. So, the satellite "Sharif-Sat" has been developed by specialists of the same-name Iranian university. This device, designed for operation in low earth orbit, is equipped with visualization means, including magnetic sensors and drives, a fail-safe on-board computer, communication transmitters, receivers, antennas, solar batteries and other necessary equipment. Two more remote sensing satellites "Payam" (message) and "Pars 1" have been designed by the Amir Kabir Technological University. In particular, such space vehicles are used is geological survey, meteorology, agriculture and border monitoring. According to Hassan Haddadpour, the head of the Iranian Space Research Center, by 2021 it is planned to launch three remote sensing satellites and one communication satellite. Another telecommunication satellite "Nahid 2" and microsatellite "Zafar", intended for aerial photography of high resolution, were engineered by research organizations. From 2009 to 2015, Iran launched four domestically produced satellites. In July, the first Imam Khomeini National Space Center opened in the country, which became a stationary platform for the development, launch and management of satellite carriers. At the same time the carrier "Simorgh" (Phoenix) was launched, capable of delivering satellites weighing up to 250 kilograms into orbit at a distance of about 500 km. Tehran recently announced its readiness to participate in international space projects and the intention to intensify partnership with the Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization.
