Iran to Launch 3 New Satellites into Space

(FNA)- Tehran is preparing to orbit three new home-made satellites in the future, Iranian Vice-President for Executive Affairs Mohammad Shariatmadari announced on Saturday.

“God willing, Tadbir, Sharif Sat and Fajr satellites are all in the final stages (of preparation) and ready to be launched,” Shariatmadari said.

He declined to specify a date for the satellites launch, saying that they will be launched in due time after passing the technical tests.

Also in December, a senior Iran's Space Agency (ISA) official said that Tehran would orbit two new home-made satellites by the end of the Iranian calendar year (March 20, 2014).

"Tests are being conducted on the two satellites of Sharif and Tadbir before the launching process," Hamid Fazeli said.

Early in September, Presidential Advisor and the ISA Chief Akbar Torkan said that the first satellite to be launched in the new government is called Tadbir."

Earlier this year, Fazeli announced that the country would send 6 new home-made satellites, mostly made by Iranian universities, to the space in the current Iranian year.

"Based on the foreseen timeline, Fajr, Sharif Sat, Tolou, Zafar, and A-Test will be sent to the space by the end of the current year," Fazeli told reporters in Tehran.

He said that Mesbah is also among the satellites to be sent into orbit this year.

Omid (hope) was Iran's first research satellite that was designed for gathering information and testing equipment. After orbiting for three months, Omid successfully completed its mission without any problem. It completed more than 700 orbits over seven weeks and reentered the Earth's atmosphere on April 25, 2009.