Iran says plans test-launches of satellite carrier for research purposes

Iran says it plans to conduct two test-launches of the Zoljanah satellite carrier, which was designed and developed by experts at home, for research purposes, as the country speeds up efforts to promote its space industry.

“Three launches of the Zoljanah satellite carrier were planned for research; one has so far been conducted and two others will be carried out later,” said Ahmad Hosseini, spokesman of the Space Division of the Iranian Defense Ministry, on Wednesday.

The performance of the three-stage carrier, which uses compound fuel, can be evaluated in each launch, he said.

The satellite carrier, the official added, weighs 52 tons and is 25.5 meters in length. It can carry loads of up to 220 kilograms at an orbit of 500 kilometers above the surface.

Last week, the Iranian Space Agency said work has been underway to prepare seven more satellites for launch into the orbit.

In March, Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force launched its second homegrown satellite, dubbed Nour-2, into a low Earth orbit, on a range of military and civilian missions.

The first version of the satellite, called Nour 1, was successfully shot and placed into the orbit 425 kilometers above Earth’s surface in April 2020.

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