Iran to Launch Its First Radar Satellite
WANA (Sep 29) – Iran is set to unveil its first radar imaging satellite this year, marking a significant milestone in the country’s space program. The head of the Iranian Space Agency (ISA), Hassan Salarieh, confirmed that the development and planned unveiling of this achievement are currently underway.
In an interview, Salarieh provided updates on Iran’s ongoing satellite projects, stating that two main categories of satellites are under development: remote sensing satellites and telecommunications satellites.
“In the telecommunications domain, the Nahid satellite is currently in progress,” he said. “In the field of remote sensing, we are pursuing the Pars and RAD satellite projects.”
Regarding the Pars series, Salarieh explained that Pars-1 has already been launched, while Pars-2 was unveiled last year and is now being prepared for launch. Additionally, the design of Pars-3 is underway, with the goal of achieving imaging precision of one meter or better.
This project is being developed under the leadership of the Iranian Space Research Centre, in collaboration with the Ministry of Communications and a network of domestic knowledge-based companies.
He went on to say that the RAD satellite is also under development and will be Iran’s first radar imaging satellite. “We are working to unveil the country’s first radar satellite this year, provided that conditions are favorable,” Salarieh noted. “This would be a significant step for the country. The exact timeline will not be announced in advance but will be shared at the appropriate time.”
Salarieh also revealed that two classes of radar satellites, RAD-1 and RAD-2, are currently being designed, with the goal of unveiling at least one of them before the end of the year.
He emphasised that key satellite projects, including Pars-3 and the radar satellites, are being pursued with determination by Iranian experts. “The outcomes of these efforts can lead to a major transformation in Iran’s remote sensing and space technology capabilities,” he concluded.
Nahid 1 satellite is a telecommunication satellite. Social Media / WANA News Agency
