WANA (Aug 30) – Iran has unveiled an upgraded version of the Kowsar satellite in a ceremony attended by the head of the Iranian Space Agency.

 

The first Kowsar satellite, along with the Hodhod satellite, was launched into orbit aboard a Russian Soyuz rocket on November 5, 2024. Less than a year later, construction and final testing of the second, upgraded Kowsar satellite have been completed, and it is now in line for launch.

 

Weighing 50 kilograms with all its components, the satellite is scheduled to be placed into a 500-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit in the coming months, again using a Soyuz launcher.

 

According to officials, the satellite combines the missions of Kosar-1 and Hodhod, with a dual focus on remote sensing and the Internet of Things (IoT). Its applications are expected to support precision agriculture and mapping.

 

This is the third satellite developed by Iran’s private sector, produced under a cooperation agreement between the knowledge-based company Omid Fazā and the Iranian Space Agency.

 

Hossein Farahani, CEO of Omid Fazā, said the upgraded model addresses shortcomings identified in the first Kowsar satellite. He added that efforts are already underway to develop additional satellites.

 

According to Hassan Salarieh, head of the Iranian Space Agency, the Kowsar satellite was the first remote-sensing satellite built by the private sector, which was launched last year. Its second model has been completed based on the experiences of the first version and will be launched into space this year.

 

He also stated that Kowsar 2 has been upgraded in the areas of imaging, telecommunications, codes, and data control and management algorithms, and these improvements have been made based on the results of the first launch.

Upgraded Version of Kowsar Satellite. Social media/ WANA News Agency

Upgraded Version of Kowsar Satellite. Social media/ WANA News Agency