Iran yesterday said it simultaneously launched three satellites into orbit, nearly a week after the launch of a research satellite by Iranian Revolutionary Guards drew Western criticism.
“Three Iranian satellites have been successfully launched into orbit for the first time,” Iranian state-run Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported.
The satellites were carried by the two-stage Simorgh (Phoenix) satellite carrier and were launched into a minimum orbit of 450km, it added.
Photo: Iranian Ministry of Defense via AP
The Mahda satellite, which weighs about 32kg and was developed by Iranian Space Agency, is designed to test advanced satellite subsystems, IRNA said.
The other two, Kayhan 2 and Hatef, weigh under 10kg each and are aimed to test space-based positioning technology and narrow-band communication, IRNA added.
Last week, Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps sent the research satellite Soraya into space.
Britain, France and Germany condemned that launch in a statement rejected by Iran as “interventionist.” Western governments including the US have repeatedly warned Iran against such launches, saying the same technology can be used for ballistic missiles, including ones designed to deliver a nuclear warhead.
Iran has countered that it is not seeking nuclear weapons and that its satellite and rocket launches are for civil or defense purposes only.
The Islamic republic has struggled with several satellite launch failures in the past.
The successful launch of its first military satellite into orbit, Nour-1, in April 2020 drew a sharp rebuke from the US.
Tehran has been under crippling US sanctions since Washington’s 2018 withdrawal from a landmark nuclear deal which granted Iran sanctions relief in return for curbs on its nuclear activities designed to prevent it from developing an atomic warhead.
Iran has always denied any ambition to develop nuclear weapons capability, insisting that its activities are entirely peaceful.
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