Iranian space satellites pass pre-launch tests

January 6, 2019 - 20:57

TEHRAN – Payam, Dousti and Nahid satellites have passed pre-launch testing and are ready to be launched.

Dousti satellite is ready for launch and Payam satellite passed technical testing on Friday, the deputy director of space technology at the Iranian Space Agency (ISA) announced, Fars reported on Saturday.

Mojtaba Soradeqi said that they are imagery satellites with a resolution of less than 50 meters.

“By manufacturing satellites we prove our ability in technical achievements in infrastructure systems,” he explained.

 Nahid-1 Satellite
 
Nahid-1 is telecommunication satellite, which is manufactured at the ISA. It is a geosynchronous satellite, which is located in geosynchronous orbit, with an orbital period the same as the earth's rotation period, Iran Science Watch website reported.
Satellites utilize photovoltaics solar panels, Ku-band communications and satellite imagery are amongst the missions of Nahid-1.

Dousti Satelliteً

Literally means ‘friendship’, Dousti satellite is manufactured at the Sharif University of Technology.

Over 150 experts in different fields of electronics, aerospace, computer science, mechanics and industry from five faculties manufactured the satellite.
The satellite takes images with better than 30 meter resolution, investigate of vegetation and monitors water resources.

Dousti will be placed into the orbit 500 kilometers above the earth’s surface.  

Payam Satellite 

Payam, a 90kg non-military satellite will be send into a 500km orbit using an Iranian Simorgh satellite-carrier rocket.

Manufactured by Amirkabir University of Technology, the image resolution of the Payam Satellite is 45 meters and can stay in orbit for three years. 

In a tweet on Saturday, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Minister Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi said: “Last night, Iranian satellites passed tests successfully.”

On Thursday, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Iran's plans for sending satellites into orbit demonstrate the country's defiance of a UN Security Council resolution that calls on Iran to undertake no activity related to ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons.

Iran says the launches do not violate the resolution.

SB/MQ/MG