ALBAWABA - Two Iranian satellites, Koswar and Hodhod, privately-developed, will be launched into orbit by Russia on November 5th, the Iranian Embassy in Moscow announced, praising the launch as a significant achievement in the context of joint space initiatives.
Despite both Russia and Iran being subject to international sanctions, this mission, highlights the expanding cooperation between the two nations, and illustrates the growing scientific and technical connections between both nations, Moscow Times reports.
A Russian Soyuz rocket is scheduled to launch the two satellites, which were built by the Omid Faza Company in Iran, at 02:48 a.m. Tehran time (23:18 GMT on Monday). The satellites will then enter an orbit around the Earth measuring 500 kilometers in diameter.
While Hodhod is a smaller probe aimed at improving communication services, especially in Iran's outlying regions, Koswar is a high-resolution imaging satellite. These satellites will be essential for environmental monitoring, agriculture, and enhancing connectivity inside Iran.
Considering it is the first time that privately-built satellites are being launched with Russian assistance, this launch has significance for Iran's private-sector growth. In the past, government organizations have mostly participated in space missions between the two nations; however, this launch marks a change toward more extensive commercial and private collaboration in the space industry.
Iran's ambassador to Moscow, Kazem Jalali, highlighted the launch's importance on social media, referring to it as a new chapter in Iran-Russia ties. "In continuation of the development of Iran-Russia scientific and technological cooperation, two Iranian satellites, Koswar and Hodhod, will be launched into orbit," he said.
This mission demonstrates a trend of ongoing and increasing space collaboration, as shown by Russia's recent launch of the Iranian research satellite, Pars 1, from the Vostochny Cosmodrome earlier this year.
