The Dawn of Iran’s Space Services Era
WANA (Oct 11) – The head of Iran’s Space Research Institute has announced the beginning of the country’s “satellite services era,” stating that Iran has moved beyond the phase of “launching for the sake of launching” and entered the stage of “launching for service.”
Vahid Yazdanian declared that Nahid-2, a fully domestically built communications satellite, has been successfully placed into a 500-kilometer orbit, and the first satellite phone call has been made through it. According to him, this connection involved both sending and receiving messages using Store & Forward technology and testing the KU band for telephony relay.
Yazdanian added that the second model of Nahid-2 and Pars-1 will be launched into space by the end of December using an indigenous launcher. Meanwhile, Nahid-3, an upgraded version of the satellite, is being designed for placement in geostationary orbit.
He also revealed that Pars-3, with a one-meter imaging resolution, is under design—marking a step toward full localization of advanced Earth observation satellites.
According to Yazdanian, a series of research satellites (Research-1 to Research-5) are being developed in collaboration with universities and knowledge-based companies to test and indigenize various space subsystems. The launch of this satellite constellation is expected by the end of next year.
Iran Achieves Full Independence in Space Industry
WANA (Oct 10) – Iran has achieved full independence in the field of satellite design, manufacturing, and launch, according to the head of the Iranian Space Research Institute. Dr. Vahid Yazdanian, president of the Iranian Space Research Institute, said in a speech on Thursday that the Islamic Republic can now carry out every stage […]
The institute’s director stressed that the private sector will play a central role in the future of Iran’s space industry, and satellite data must be transformed into practical services in fields such as agriculture, environmental monitoring, mining, and urban management.
Regarding international cooperation, Yazdanian said Iran is expanding its space partnerships with Russia, China, Oman, Turkmenistan, and Armenia, emphasizing that the country’s overarching policy is to transfer technical knowledge rather than merely sell products.
He also announced the start of feasibility studies for a domestic navigation system, which is expected to become operational within two to five years. The system, using five to six satellites, will provide positioning accuracy within a few meters.
WANA – Chabahar Space Base
In another part of his remarks, Yazdanian highlighted efforts to commercialize spin-off technologies from the space industry. Technologies such as the production of solar panels, lithium-ion batteries, brushless motors, and polymer coatings have now been transferred to non-space sectors, including transportation and home appliances.
Despite the adverse effects of sanctions on component procurement and rising costs, Yazdanian stressed that Iran now possesses the full capability to manufacture satellites domestically and continues to advance its space program through reliance on national expertise.
