Latest news with #Nahid2
Russia Today
4 days ago
- Science
- Russia Today
Russia launches Iranian satellite into orbit (VIDEO)
Russia has launched a Soyuz rocket carrying an Iranian communications satellite into orbit, the country's space agency Roscosmos said on Friday. The launch took place at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia's Far East and was broadcast live. The rocket carried more than 20 payloads, including two Russian scientific satellites, 18 small commercial orbiters, and Iran's Nahid-2 satellite. Nahid-2 was developed by the Iranian Space Research Center and launched under a commercial agreement with the Iranian Space Agency. According to Iranian state media, the satellite is designed for low-Earth orbit and supports Tehran's broader ambitions to expand its space capabilities. The mission follows a growing series of joint Russian-Iranian space initiatives, including launches of Earth observation and communications satellites. In January, Moscow and Tehran signed a 20-year comprehensive strategic partnership agreement, which includes collaboration on civil space programs and emphasizes peaceful cooperation across energy, science, and technology sectors. Russia regularly launches satellites for foreign clients through commercially contracted Soyuz missions. Last November, Russia conducted a record-breaking launch of 53 satellites from Vostochny, including payloads from Iran, Zimbabwe, and a joint Russian-Chinese device.
Washington Post
4 days ago
- Science
- Washington Post
Russia launches an Iranian communications satellite into orbit
MOSCOW — A Russian rocket sent an Iranian communications satellite into orbit Friday, a launch that highlighted strong ties between the two countries. The Soyuz rocket lifted off as scheduled from Vostochny launchpad in far eastern Russia, the country's state-controlled Roscosmos corporation said. It carried two Russian Ionosphere-M Earth observation satellites, along with Iran's Nahid-2 satellite and 17 smaller Russian satellites, and put them into designated orbits.
Euronews
4 days ago
- Politics
- Euronews
Iran sends telecom satellite Nahid-2 into orbit on Russian rocket
An Iranian communications satellite was sent into orbit aboard a Russian rocket on Friday, a launch that highlighted strong ties between the two countries. The Soyuz rocket lifted off as scheduled from Vostochny launchpad in far eastern Russia. It carried two Russian Ionosphere-M Earth observation satellites, along with Iran's Nahid-2 satellite and 17 smaller Russian satellites, and put them into designated orbits. "The operational life of the NAHID-2 satellite is planned for two years," said Hassan Salariyeh, head of the Iranian Space Agency. "Typically, satellites have a lifetime of five years at low altitude (LEO) and 10 years at high altitude (GEO)." Russia, which signed a 'strategic partnership' treaty with Iran in January, strongly condemned the Israeli and US strikes on Iran last month. Russian President Vladimir Putin has suggested that Moscow could help negotiate a settlement that could allow Tehran to pursue a peaceful atomic programme while assuaging Israeli security concerns. At the same time, Putin has emphasised that Tehran hasn't asked Moscow for military assistance and noted that the partnership treaty doesn't envision such aid. Russia has maintained a delicate balancing act in the Middle East for decades, trying to maintain warm relations with Israel even as it developed strong economic and military ties with Iran. Friday's launch was announced before nuclear talks between Iran and Britain, France, and Germany began in Istanbul and comes after Tehran tested one of its satellite-carrying rockets with a suborbital flight on Monday. Iran-Russia space cooperation The launch of Nahid 2 was a continuation of Iran and Russia's cooperation on ventures into space. In November, Russia launched a pair of Iranian satellites named Kowsar and Hodhod, the first launched on behalf of the country's private sector. It followed two previous Russian launches of Iranian satellites in 2022 and 2024. The Nahid series of satellites (1 and 2) was designed and built by the Iranian Space Agency for telecommunication missions at the Iranian Space Research Institute. According to the Iranian space agency, the satellite provides the power it needs using solar arrays on the hull. Development of the Nahid 2 continued, despite delays in the launch of the Nahid 1 satellite due to technical problems and international coordination. To complement the performance of the NAHID-1 satellite, four stations were built in different parts of the country. NAHID-1 was originally supposed to be deployed with the Sefir-1 satellite in the summer of 2018 to orbit at 250 to 375 km, but a technical incident before the launch of the Ambassador caused the mission to be cancelled. The Iranian Space Agency has announced that plans for the Nahid 3 project, which it describes as a more advanced, are under way. Iran has been sending satellites to orbit in what Western analysts see as efforts to boost its aerospace programme. These projects are in line with Iran's plans for self-sufficiency in space technology and the development of commercial and research applications, according to the Iranian Space Agency.
