Alwaght- Iran Space Organization's chief Hussein Salarieh says that next year the country will make an unprecedented number of satellite launches and 2024 will be year of satellite launches.
He made the comments when he was asked to outline the nation's 2024 space and satellite plans.
He told Mehr News Agency that the design and manufacturing stages of various satellites have been completed or are being completed, including the flight sample of Nahid 2 satellite, the flight sample of Saman orbital transfer block and also the flight sample of Zafar 2 satellite, and once the tests are completed, they will be ready for launch.
He said that satellite launches will continue this Persian year which is to end on March 20 and they will continue through next year.
"Before the end of the year, a number of other satellites will be ready for launch. But due to various technical reasons, it is not possible to give an accurate report about the launch time," he told Mehr.
He also referred to a space station under construction in Chabahar east of the country which will allow access to higher orbits.
"God willing, with the completion of the Chabahar base and the start of launches from the Chabahar base, our access to different space orbits will be greatly opened, and as a result, we will be able to increase the number of launches and have a variety of orbiting, including different orbital slopes and different orbital heights," he maintained.
He also pointed to Iran's space ranking globally, adding that Iran is among the top 10 states having the full chain of production to launch.
"We have to overcome our rivals and rank higher. If we can stand among the top 5, it would be very good, and to do so, we have a lot to do industrially, technologically, and investively.
He held that the country should develop in various space sections, in the launcher industry and in the satellite manufacturing industry.
"We must reach a point where our space industry becomes a fully capable industry. We have to move in the direction that, in addition to being able to use operational satellites to meet domestic needs, we can provide launch services and design and manufacture satellites to other countries," he maintained.
He referred to the latest status of the two recently launched satellites Mahda and Suraya.
"Currently, communication with both satellites is optimally established. The received data also show the correct functioning of the subsystems. Receiving these data is very important for us because by analyzing them, in addition to checking how the systems and subsystems work, possible faults and problems are also analyzed and checked, and the result of these checks can be very effective for newer and more updated designs in future satellites, Mahe cited Salarieh as saying.
He also said that Iran plans to launch SAR (Synthetic-Aperture Radar) satellites in the next two years.
"SAR satellites are considered a type of radar sensing satellite and have the ability to image the surface of the earth with radar technologies. The design and construction of the SAR satellite is envisioned in the 10-year space program of Iran, and according to the planning, God willing, in the next one or two years, the first Launching of SAR satellites in the country begins," he noted.
