TEHRAN – Iran's Communications and Information Technology Minister Mahmoud Vaezi has announced that two new homegrown satellites, dubbed Nahid 1 and Payam-e Amir Kabir, are ready to be launched into space.

“Now, we have two satellites ready to be launched, one being Amir Kabir sensing satellite and the other being Nahid telecommunication satellite,” Vazei said in an interview with ISNA.

Expressing the hope that the two satellites would be launched into orbit within the next few months, Vazei said over 97% of the job has been done.

The two home-made satellites, as well as a space tug, were unveiled for the first time in February.

The three space crafts were unveiled during a ceremony in Tehran attended by President Hassan Rouhani on the occasion of Space Technology Day.

In recent years, Iran has made great technological advances in manufacturing satellites. In February 2009, the country launched into the orbit its first homegrown data-processing satellite, dubbed Omid (Hope).

In January 2013, Iran sent a monkey to an altitude of about 120km (75 miles) in a Pishgam (Pioneer) rocket for a sub-orbital flight before returning intact to Earth.

Iran also sent another monkey into space at the end of 2013, as part of a program aimed at manned space flight.

MH/PA