TEHRAN- In a ceremony attended by a number of senior officials, the Islamic Republic of Iran unveiled two domestically built communications and imaging satellites.

In honor of Iran's National Day of Space, two technical breakthroughs—dubbed Nahid-2 (Venus-2) and Tolou-3 (Sunrise-3) were displayed at a ceremony on Tuesday in Tehran, the country's capital.

The Space Research Center produced the communication satellite Nahid-2 at the request of the Iranian Space Agency (ISA).

It is expected to have a life span of at least two years and will be rotating in a circular orbit 500 kilometers above the surface of the planet.

Nahid-2 will carry out several communications tasks, including secure data transfer and storage as well as concurrent telephone calls.

The satellite has already successfully completed all of its testing and is prepared for flight.

ISA ordered the Tolou-3 satellite, an imaging satellite. It was made by the Iran Electronics Industries.

Tolou-3 is thought to be the heaviest satellite made in Iran, weighing 150 kg.

Black-and-white photos with a five-meter spatial resolution may be taken with Tolou-3. In color mode, it has a 10-meter resolution as well.

The satellite is anticipated to be launched into an orbit 500 kilometers above the Earth and depends largely on machinery and tools made by Iranian knowledge-based firms.

In 2009, Iran launched its first satellite, Omid (Hope), then in 2011, Rasad (Observation) was placed into orbit.

The Islamic Republic successfully launched Navid (Promise), its third homegrown satellite, into orbit in 2012.

Iran declared the successful launch of its first military satellite into orbit in April 2020. 

It also launched a second military satellite into orbit in March 2022.