Iran has successfully launched into orbit its heaviest space payload, including a satellite and a rocket, using a domestically developed satellite launcher, official media reported, cited by AFP.
According to state television, the cargo, weighing 300 kilograms, consists of the Fakhr-1 telecommunications satellite and the Saman-1 space tug.
Saman-1 is an "orbital transmitter system" designed to transport satellites from lower orbits to higher ones, as described by the Iranian Aerospace Exploration Center when it was unveiled in 2017.
The launch marks an "operational step" towards transferring satellites to higher orbits, the TV report said.
The system was first unveiled in February 2017 at a ceremony attended by then-Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, and was tested in 2022.
The payloads were launched using the home-grown Simorgh satellite launcher from the Imam Khomeini launch base in Semnan province.
Named after a mythical Iranian bird, the Simorgh is a two-stage launch vehicle for liquid-fuelled satellites developed by the Iranian Ministry of Defence.
In September, Iran announced that it had successfully launched the Chamran-1 research satellite into orbit using the Ghaem-100 launch vehicle, which is manufactured by the Revolutionary Guards' aerospace division.
Western governments, including the United States, have repeatedly warned Iran against such launches, arguing that the technology used for satellites could be applied to ballistic missiles that could potentially carry nuclear warheads.
Iran denies wanting to possess nuclear weapons. It has consistently stated that satellite and missile launches are aimed at civilian and defence applications.
Last month, Russia launched 55 satellites, including two built by Iran, Koswar and Hodhod, reflecting the deepening political, economic and military relations between the two countries. | BGNES
