Tehran - BORNA - The three Iranian satellites, Tolu-3, Zafar-2, and Kosar-1.5, were integrated with Russia’s Soyuz-2.1b launch vehicle at the Vostochny Spaceport and were launched into orbit from Russia’s Vostochny Cosmodrome as part of a multi-payload mission, marking the seventh time the country has used Russian rockets for satellite deployment.
Iran’s Space Agency chief, Hassan Salarieh, said the launch heralded a bright future for the country’s space sector.
This will be the first time Iran launches multiple satellites into space. The devices include the country’s heaviest ever satellite, dubbed Tolou-3. It weighs 150 kilograms and is the most advanced observation satellite of Iran, so far. Tolou is 80 percent Iranian-made and represents a major step forward in the indigenization of satellite clusters technology. Iran is also planning to launch its first telecommunication satellite cluster, dubbed Shahid Soleimani, next year.
According to Press TV report, in remarks ahead of the launch, Iran’s Ambassador to Moscow, Kazem Jalali, described the mission as a major step forward for Iran’s space program.
In a series of posts on the social platform X, Jalali emphasized that the satellites were designed and built entirely with indigenous Iranian technology, the result of collaboration between government agencies, universities, and private knowledge-based companies.
The ambassador explained that while all stages of design and construction were completed in Iran, the launch itself is being carried out in cooperation with Russia.
Paya (Tolou‑3), weighing in at 150 kilograms, is Iran’s heaviest satellite to date. It delivers imagery with a resolution of about five meters in black and white and 10 meters in color.
Zafar‑2, developed by the Iran University of Science and Technology, is designed to monitor natural resources, assess environmental conditions, and provide data for disaster response and mapping.
Kowsar‑1.5, an upgraded version of earlier Kowsar and Hodhod satellites, integrates Internet of Things (IoT) capability, enabling real‑time data transmission for smart monitoring systems.
Iran first entered the space arena in 2009 with the launch of the Omid satellite. Despite Western sanctions, Tehran has steadily expanded its civilian space program.
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