This year, National Space Technology Day falls on February 02, 2025, which coincides with 13th of Bahman month in the Persian Calendar 1403, was named after the successful launch of Iran’s first satellite, which was placed in orbit in February 2009, and was described as a “data-processing” satellite for “research and telecommunications”.
Iran launched its first homemade satellite, ‘Omid’ (Hope), in 2009. After being launched by an Iranian-made carrier rocket, Safir 1, the satellite was placed into a low Earth orbit.
The launch, which coincided with the 30th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution, was also verified by the National Aeronautics Space Administration (NASA) the following day as a success. The launch of “Omid” Satellite made Iran the ninth country in the world to develop an indigenous satellite launch capability.
After this big achievement, developing different aspects of the space industry and self-reliance in this field were included in the general policies of the country. Since then, every year on this day, all experts in this field gather to envision new aspects of the roles of space technology and its multiple applications.
Recently on January 28, 2024, for the first time, Islamic Republic of Iran successfully put three homegrown satellites named “Mahda”, “Keyhan-2”, and “Hatef-1” into space orbits with minimum and maximum altitudes of 450 km and 1,100 km above the Earth’s surface, getting close to reaching the Geostationary Orbit (GEO), also known as geosynchronous orbit, after years.
The latest launch, carried out on Sunday using “Simorgh” satellite carrier, reached the Earth’s elliptical orbit, making it distinctive from the country’s previous launches that put satellites into space orbits with the altitude of 400 to 750 km above the Earth’s surface.
The current launch is regarded as a significant move by Iran, as it marks the first step by the country to reach the Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO) and then access the GEO which has an approximate altitude of 36,000 km above the Earth’s surface.
On May 6, 2020, in pointing to the achievement of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in launching the “Nour” Satellite into space, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei stated, “Unfortunately, some people in the country constantly say that it’s impossible and that we can’t; however, we are perfectly capable. The reason for this is that when we are capable of launching a satellite into space with a speed of 7,500 m/s, can successfully put the satellite in orbit, and can make great progress in the area of defense industries, we are equally capable of achieving a surge in production.”
He added, “The wisdom and thought that can build such a satellite and set themselves the goal of launching another satellite with an orbit of 36,000 kilometers definitely have the spirit, innovation, and creativity to build automobiles with a 5 L/100 km fuel consumption rate and to develop other areas of production.”
Apart from all the achievements gained by the Iranian Space Agency (ISA), Paya, Zafar-2, and Pars 1 & 2 Satellites will be officially unveiled on February 2, which marks the country’s National Space Technology Day.
Earlier, the head of the Iranian Space Agency (ISA), Hassan Salarieh said in an interview with Iranian media, “Iran is ramping up its space program with 25 satellites currently under construction and plans for two satellite launches by the end of the year.”
He noted that Iran has designed and built around 25 satellites so far, spanning various classifications.
The country’s early satellites, he acknowledged, had limitations in imaging resolution and precision. However, technological advancements have led to significant improvements, making Iran’s more recent satellites far more capable.
“We are currently developing satellites with imaging accuracy of about two meters, and we are continuously working to enhance this precision further,” Salarieh stated.
He also highlighted the increasing role of artificial intelligence (AI) in satellite operations. The Iranian Space Agency has implemented AI-based techniques to process and analyze satellite imagery more efficiently. These advancements, Salarieh said, are enhancing the accuracy and usability of satellite data, helping experts extract more valuable insights from space-based observations.
“This progress enables AI-powered assistants to work alongside specialists, significantly improving the effectiveness and efficiency of satellite imaging,” he explained. He also noted that private sector companies are leveraging satellite imagery for various services, and universities and research institutions are actively expanding their work in this field.
Iranian Space Agency (ISA) has launched 10 more satellites, marking a substantial leap while revealing a state-of-the-art 1.5-ton bio-space capsule, showcasing the country’s remarkable progress in bio-space technology.
The Iranian Space Agency’s spokesperson announced the readiness for the imminent launch of additional satellites, saying plans to carry out more launches in the future.
He emphasized Iran’s self-reliance in this industry, highlighting the country’s independent ownership across all three sectors compared to other countries with similar capabilities. He mentioned that Iran is among the 12 countries that have this technology.
Iran’s ongoing efforts to construct a more advanced 1.5-ton bio-space capsule aim to exceed previous capabilities, particularly targeting human-carrying capacity after the successful launch of the Kavos capsule.
He outlined enhancements in the upcoming capsule, emphasizing improvements in manual control systems, a significant leap from previous models.
“Iran is currently constructing its next bio-space capsule weighing 1.5 tons, intending to surpass the capabilities of the previous capsule. (The country’s space industry) aims to achieve human-carrying capacity, following the successful launch of the Kavos bio-space capsule,” he said.
Compiled by S. M. Ahmadi