Iran Unveils Two Satellite Prototypes
Iran unveiled the prototype models of Zohreh and Nahid telecommunications satellites on Monday.
The prototype models were unveiled during a ceremony attended by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi and Head of Iran’s Space Agency Ahmad Fazeli at an exhibition on Iran’s latest space achievements and technologies here in the capital today.
In November, President of Iran’s Amirkabir University Alireza Rahaei announced the country is preparing to put a new home-made satellite, called Nahid (Venus), into orbit in the next three months.
He said researchers at Amirkabir University of Technology have accomplished part of the studies on the satellite which is to be launched into space in next three months with the backing of the Iranian Space Agency (ISA).
Rahaei noted that the industrial phases of the project have been accomplished and researchers are now working on the launch phase.
Iran which first put a satellite into orbit in 2009, has managed to build several satellites in spite of sanctions and pressures of the US and certain European countries, dissatisfied with its progress and advancements.
The country has already sent small animals into space – a rat, turtles and worms – aboard a capsule carried by its Kavoshgar-3 rocket in 2010.
The Islamic Republic in February 2012 announced plans to display its new achievements in space fields by sending heavier home-made satellites to higher altitudes by the next few years.
Omid (hope) was Iran’s first research satellite that was designed for gathering information and testing equipment. After orbiting for three months, Omid successfully completed its mission without any problem. It completed more than 700 orbits over seven weeks and reentered the Earth’s atmosphere on April 25, 2009.
After launching Omid, Tehran unveiled three new satellites called Tolou, Mesbah II and Navid, respectively. Iran has also unveiled its latest achievements in designing and producing satellite carriers.
A new generation of home-made satellites and a new satellite carrier called Simorgh (Phoenix) were among the latest achievements unveiled by Iran’s aerospace industries.
Iran plans to display its new achievements in space fields by sending heavier home-made satellites to higher altitudes by the next few years.
There would be a new round of space progression in Iran by 2013 and the country would be able to put satellites into orbit of up to 36000 km.
