ALWAGHT- Iran has successfully launched the domestically-developed Chamran 1 research satellite into orbit, marking another significant achievement in the nation’s space program.
Early on Saturday, the satellite was placed into orbit at an altitude of 550 kilometers (341 miles) above Earth, carried by the domestically-built Qaem-100 space launch vehicle (SLV).
Qaem-100 is a three-stage solid-fuel space launch vehicle (SLV) developed by the Aerospace Force of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC).
Several hours after the launch, the Iranian research satellite transmitted its first signals.
The Chamran-1 satellite was designed and built by Iranian engineers at the space division of Iran Electronics Industries (SAIran), a subsidiary of the Ministry of Defense, with contributions from experts at the Aerospace Research Institute (ARI) and private knowledge-based companies.
Weighing around 60 kilograms, the satellite's primary mission is to test hardware and software for validating orbital maneuvering technology.
Its secondary objectives include evaluating the performance of cold gas propulsion subsystems and the navigation and attitude control subsystems in space systems.
Despite sanctions imposed by Western countries in recent years, Iran has made significant progress in its civilian space program.
The country ranks among the top 10 nations in the world with the capability to develop and launch satellites.
Earlier this year, Iran successfully launched the domestically-built Mahda research satellite, along with two research payloads, into space using the Simorgh (Phoenix) satellite launch vehicle (SLV).
Weighing 32 kilograms, Mahda's main objective is to test satellite subsystems, verify the performance of the Simorgh SLV in deploying space cargo, and assess new designs and the reliability of indigenous technologies in space.
In a previous mission, the IRGC's Aerospace Force successfully placed the Soraya satellite into orbit 750 kilometers above Earth in just 11 minutes, using a Qaem-100 space launch vehicle. The Soraya satellite, built by the ISA, marked another milestone in Iran's space achievements.
