Iran to launch into orbit 3 domestic satellites soon

Head of Iran Space Agency (ISA) Hamid Fazeli has announced the country's plan for the upcoming launch into space of three domestically-built satellites, Press TV reported. The satellites, Kavoshgar 5 (Explorer 5), Fajr (Dawn) and Navid (Herald), will blast into space soon, Fazeli told reporters on Wednesday without giving further details.

He lauded Iran's space achievements and pointed out that the Islamic Republic stands among the eight countries that have obtained the technology to design, produce and send satellites into space, IRNA reported. Fazeli further noted that the ISA has made great achievements in the field of modern space technology.

Equipped with hi-res imaging gear, the Fajr satellite can stay in space for a year and a half while transmitting pictures to stations on Earth. It is also fitted with a domestically-made GPS navigation system.

Kavoshgar 5, which weighs 285-kg, has a structural built similar to the Omid (Hope) satellite- - Iran's first domestically-produced satellite launched into orbit in 2009. The Omid data-processing satellite was designed to circle the Earth 15 times per day and to transmit data via two frequency bands and eight antennas to an Iranian space station.

The Navid satellite, completely designed and built by Iranian experts, weighs 50 kilograms and can take pictures in low altitudes of about 250 to 375 kilometers from the earth.


/Trend/