A Russian Soyuz-2.1 spacecraft successfully launched the Iranian-built satellites, Kowsar and Hodhod, into orbit.
A Soyuz-2.1b rocket booster with the Iranian satellite ‘Khayyam’ blasts off from the launchpad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan in August 2022 [Still image taken from video/Handout/Roscomos via Reuters]
Russia’s Roscosmos space agency reported that a Russian rocket carrying a payload of satellites into orbit, including two from Iran, successfully launched. This action is thought to demonstrate the growing cooperation between Moscow and Tehran.Nine minutes after the scheduled launch on Tuesday, the Soyuz-2.1 spacecraft placed its payload into a designated orbit after taking off from the Vostochny Cosmodrome launchpad in far eastern Russia.
According to Roscosmos, 53 small satellites, including two from Iran, and two Russian Ionosfera-M satellites—which are intended to track the space weather around Earth—were successfully launched into orbit.The two Iranian satellites were identified as the small communications satellite Hodhod and the high-resolution imaging satellite Kowsar, out of the 53 small satellites. Additionally, Druzhba ATURK, a Russian-Chinese student satellite, was launched into orbit.The Kowsar, which was produced by the Omidfaza company, which started designing the satellite in 2019, is the first Iranian satellite launched on behalf of the private sector, according to Iran’s official IRNA news agency.
The IRNA estimates that the Kowsar will last three years and the Hodhod will serve for four years.Khayyam, an Iranian Earth observation satellite constructed in Russia at Tehran’s request, was launched by a Russian rocket in 2022. In February, Russia launched Pars-1, another Iranian satellite, into orbit.According to Iranian state media at the time, the Pars-1 is a research satellite that will fly over Iran and examine its topography.
The most recent satellite launch coincides with growing criticism from Ukraine and the West that Tehran has given Moscow drones to use in attacks on Ukrainian targets, as well as Russia and Iran deepen their ties in a number of areas.In addition, Moscow and Tehran intend to strengthen their relationship even more by signing a “comprehensive strategic partnership,” which will take place during Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian’s unconfirmed visit to Russia.
Russia’s satellite launches come after Iran’s civilian space program has experienced a string of unsuccessful launches in recent years, including five consecutive unsuccessful launches for the Simorgh program, which aims to launch satellites.From a military base outside of Shahroud, east of Tehran, the nation’s elite Revolutionary Guard Corps has successfully launched a separate Iranian space program.Israel may have bombed the location during its October 26 attack on Iran, according to Associated Press analysis of satellite images.Iran claimed at the time that there had been little damage from the Israeli attack.