Russia Launches Iranian Satellite into Orbit
Russia launched Iran's Nahid-2 telecommunications satellite into orbit on a Soyuz rocket. The mission, which also deployed 19 other Russian scientific and commercial satellites, lifted off from the Vostochny Cosmodrome.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Russia successfully launched Iran’s Nahid-2 telecommunications satellite into orbit on Friday from its Vostochny Cosmodrome, a move intended to enhance Iran’s space communication capabilities, according to a report from the Tasnim News Agency.
The launch took place at 08:54 Moscow time (09:24 Tehran time) aboard a Soyuz-2.1b rocket equipped with a Fregat upper stage. The mission was part of a larger payload deployment that included a total of 20 satellites.
Developed by the Iranian Space Agency, the Nahid-2 satellite is a telecommunications craft designed to advance Iran's capabilities in space-based communication. The launch was broadcast live by Mir TV.
Alongside the Iranian satellite, the Soyuz rocket also carried two Russian Ionosfera-M satellites. These are designed to study physical phenomena occurring in Earth’s ionosphere that are influenced by both natural and human-made factors. Roscosmos, the Russian space agency, stated that the data from this mission will be utilized by Roshydromet, Russia's hydrometeorological service, in conjunction with ground-based observations. The experiments aim to study the ionosphere's reaction to atmospheric disturbances such as hurricanes and volcanic eruptions.
The mission also deployed an additional 18 small satellites, 17 of which are Russian. Among these were nine satellites developed by Russia’s Geoscan company, which are tasked with Earth imaging, tracking maritime and aerial traffic, and conducting near-space research.
Other Russian satellites included in the launch serve educational and experimental purposes, with a focus on testing satellite communication links and control systems in low-Earth orbit.
