TEHRAN -- The head of the Iranian Space Agency on Sunday announced the launch of a project to build a satellite constellation, named after the late legendary anti-terror commander General Qassem Soleimani.
Hassan Salarieh made the announcement on the agency’s official website as he elaborated on the latest implementation status of General Soleimani’s project, which is part of Iran’s ongoing 10-year space program.
“Based on the 10-year space program and in order to provide services to people, government institutions, and organizations as well as to provide services to private sector companies, the Iranian Space Agency has been tasked with placing a telecommunication satellite constellation in Earth’s orbit,” Salarieh said.
“The implementation of the project, which is called Martyr Soleimani Project and is considered to be the first satellite constellation project of our country, is of great importance owing to the achievements in the production of satellite series and their network formation,” he added.
He said that the Iranian Space Agency had prepared the operational plan of the project and codified the executive program of a narrowband telecommunication system with limited service long ago and even before the finalization of the country’s 10-year space program.
“In less than a month since the approval of the 10-year space program, one of the most important clauses of which is the implementation of the Martyr Soleimani Project, … the implementation phase of the project was officially launched,” Salarieh said.
Praising steps taken by the agency to build small satellites, Salarieh said, “It is axiomatic that upon success in this step, the way to complete and develop satellite systems and provide more services will be paved in the next steps.”
Iran launched its first satellite Omid
(Hope) in 2009 and its Rasad (Observation) satellite was sent into orbit in 2011.
In 2012, the Islamic Republic successfully put its third domestically-made satellite, Navid (Good News), into orbit.
In April 2020, Iran announced the successful launch of its first military satellite into orbit. And in March 2022, it blasted its second military satellite into space.