Zafar 2 launching in June.https://en.irna.ir/news/83668309/Iran-ready-to-launch-next-satellite"Tehran, Feb 9, IRNA -- Minister of Communications and Information Technology Mohammad Javad Azari-Jahromi said late on Sunday that another copy of Zafar Satellite will be sent to orbit in June."
THERAN, 2021, January --Iranian Space Agency chief: Iran is working to launch 4 satellites by June in line for launch: Pars-1, Zafar-2, Toloo, Nahid-2. A launch might happen in February.
Iran to launch 'Zafar-2' Satellite into orbit soonTEHRAN, Sep. 10 (MNA) – Iran will soon put another domestically-built satellite, dubbed 'Zafar-2', into orbit, said the head of Iran University of Science and Technology.Mansour Anbia told IRNA that Zafar-2 would be the fourth achievement by the university’s researchers in the field of satellite technology after building 'Navid' as the first satellite in 2011, Mobin as the second one in 2013, and Zafar-1 in 2015.He noted that aerospace industries contributed 424 billion dollars to the global economy in 2020, a 70-percent rise compared to the last decade.According to Anbia, the university has gained satellite technology to fulfill the country’s needs and is ready to export the know-how to other countries.“Developed countries compete with the countries on a par with us to buy Iranian products and knowledge. But considering the recent progress of Iranian universities, other countries have no choice but to use our technical knowledge,” he added.
Tehran, IRNA – Iran’s Minister of Information and Communications Technology Issa Zarepour recently has said that the country will soon put the domestically-built satellite Zafar-2 (Triumph-2) into orbit.Zarepour stated that it is predicted the satellite Zafar-2 put into orbit in the first quarter of the current Iranian calender year (starting March 20, 2023).Earlier, Mansour Anbia, Dean of Iran University of Science and Technology (IUST) said the university has so far built four satellites, with Navid being the first satellite built in 2011, Mobin as the second one launched in 2013, and Zafar 1 in 2015.Zafar 2 is the fourth satellite built by IUST, Anbia said, adding that 64 pieces are used to make a satellite.The IUST is privileged for making satellites due to owning different technologies and being capable of meeting the needs of the country in this field, according to Anbia.
According to him, six to eight domestic and foreign satellite launches are planned by the end of 2024. He added that the Tolou-3 and Zafar-2 satellites will be launched using foreign launchers in December 2024.
August END (xxx:13:10:xx.xxx) - Aist-2T №11L, Aist-2T №12L, Aist-ST №11L, Vladivostok-2, four Griffins, Zorky-2M #3, Zorky-2M #5, Zorky-2M #7, Leonov (FGTU-1, MGOTU-1), Lobachevsky, Marathon #1, Marathon #2, ODR-1 named after E.T. Krenkel (ODRSat-1 KRENKEL), SamSat-ORION (SamSat-Mayak), Scorpio (under the MSU "Sozvezdie-270" program), Khors No. 5, Yarilo No. 5, ANSAT-1, Polytech Universe-6 (Polytech Universe-6), SCH-619, 20 SITRO-AIS, SM-3.1, TELUM-LEO-1E 1, TELUM-LEO-1E 2, Toloo-3 (Tolu-3), VM-3.1 (Voenmekh), Zafar-2 (Zafar-2) – Soyuz-2-1B/Fregat-M (x15000-xxx/x) – Vostochniy, 1S
The planned launches of the Kowsar 1.5, Zafar, and Paya satellites within the current Iranian calendar year mark a major milestone, demonstrating the nation’s growing self-reliance.
The Zafar satellite marks another significant milestone in Iran’s space program. It is an advanced earth-observation satellite designed to provide high-resolution imaging for critical applications in agriculture, environmental monitoring, and disaster management.Developed by the Iran University of Science and Technology (IUST) in partnership with the Iranian Space Agency (ISA), the project exemplifies the powerful collaboration between Iran’s academic institutions and its governmental space bodies.Zafar follows earlier iterations, including Zafar-1 and Zafar-2, and builds upon their technological foundations.Planned for deployment into a 500 km low Earth orbit, Zafar will align with other Iranian observation satellites to ensure consistent and integrated imaging coverage across the region.While the exact resolution of this latest Zafar model has not been officially confirmed, estimates place it at approximately 10–15 meters per pixel, an improvement over Zafar-1’s 22.5 meters per pixel, making it significantly more effective for environmental and agricultural monitoring.Its mission profile includes providing high-resolution imagery for agricultural applications such as crop monitoring and land use planning, conducting vital environmental surveillance, including water resource management and deforestation tracking, and supporting disaster management operations by accurately mapping flood- or earthquake-affected areas to aid relief efforts.Although specific details on its payload remain limited, the satellite is expected to carry advanced optical sensors, potentially multispectral or panchromatic, complemented by robust telemetry and communication systems for reliable data relay to ground stations.These features build directly on lessons learned from the partial success of Zafar-1.With an estimated orbital lifespan of one to two years, typical for small observation satellites in low Earth orbit, Zafar is scheduled for launch in fall 2025 (September-November) aboard a Russian Soyuz rocket alongside the Paya satellite. A domestic launch using Iran’s Simorgh rocket, from the Chabahar Space Center, remains under consideration pending the facility’s readiness.Zafar-2 forms a vital component of Iran’s emerging satellite constellation, designed to operate in tandem with Kowsar and Tolou-3 to establish a networked system for continuous earth observation.The program underscores Iran’s growing academic and technological expertise, as well as its determination to advance in space science despite sanctions restricting access to foreign technologies.
The head of the Iranian Space Agency (ISA) has announced that the Chabahar National Spaceport is being prepared for its first solid-fuel launch, while confirming that the “Zafar-2” and “Paya” Earth-observation satellites will be launched in the coming months using a foreign launch vehicle.
In the early days of winter, Iran is sending three Earth-observation satellites—Kosar, Zafar-2, and Paya—into orbit aboard a Russian Soyuz launcher from the Vostochny Cosmodrome. At first glance, it looks like a routine space achievement. But beneath the surface, the launch reveals a shift in Iran’s strategic approach to space policy.
