The payload, weighing 300 kilograms (660 pounds), included the Fakhr-1 telecommunications satellite and the Saman-1 space tug, as reported by state television.
Tehran:
Iran successfully launched its heaviest space payload on Friday, which includes a satellite and a space tug, using a domestically developed satellite carrier, according to official media.
The payload, weighing 300 kilograms (660 pounds), consisted of the Fakhr-1 telecommunications satellite and the Saman-1 space tug, as reported by state television.
The Saman-1 is an “orbital transmission system” designed to move satellites from lower orbits to higher ones, as described by the Iran Space Research Center when it was first introduced in 2017.
This launch marks an “operational step” toward transferring satellites into higher orbits, the TV report noted.
The system was initially unveiled in February 2017 during a ceremony attended by then-President Hassan Rouhani and was test-launched in 2022.
The payloads were launched using the domestically developed Simorgh satellite carrier from the Imam Khomeini launch site in Semnan province.
Named after a mythical Iranian bird, the Simorgh is a two-stage, liquid-fueled satellite launch vehicle created by Iran’s defense ministry.
In September, Iran announced the successful launch of the Chamran-1 research satellite into orbit using the Ghaem-100 carrier, developed by the aerospace division of the Revolutionary Guards.
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Western governments, including the United States, have repeatedly cautioned Iran against such launches, arguing that satellite technology could be repurposed for ballistic missiles potentially capable of carrying nuclear warheads.
Iran has consistently denied any intentions of developing nuclear weapons, maintaining that its satellite and rocket programs are focused on civilian and defense purposes.
Last month, Russia launched 55 satellites, including two built by Iran—Koswar and Hodhod—highlighting the growing political, economic, and military ties between the two countries.
