Iranian Space Agency - Unlaunched Satellites

Unlaunched Satellites

• Fajr, is an imaging satellite which also carries an experimental locally made GPS system. The satellite will have a life span of 1.5 years and an imaging resolution of 500–1000 meters. It is the first Iranian satellite to use Pulsed plasma thruster and has solar pannels. It is to be launched in 2012. The satellite has been produced by Iran Electronics Industries. As were alleged, non-announced by Iran two failed launches of Fajr satellites occurred on May, 23 and October in 2012.

• Toloo, is the first of a new generation of reconnaissance satellites being built by Iran Electronics Industries with SIGINT capabilities. It has been designed to spy on Iran's adversaries. It's launch date has been set for 2012.

• Nasir 1, Iran's indigenously designed satellite navigation system (SAT NAV) has been manufactured to find the precise locations of satellites moving in orbit.

• Nahid satellite with folding solar panels to be launched in 2012.

• Sharif satellite to be launched in 2012 is an observation satellite with an imaging resolution of better than 12.5 meters. The satellite is manufactured by Sharif University of Technology.

• Zafar-1, is an imaging satellite to be launched in 2012 and will have a resolution better than 80 meters.

• Mesbah (meaning 'Lantern') was to be built by Iran in collaboration with Italy's Carlo Gavazzi Space S.p.A. Mesbah was a low earth orbit telecommunication satellite. The satellite was never launched as both Russia and Italy refused to cooperate with Iran anymore on space projects. The original Mesbah project was later on replaced by indigenous Mesbah-2 which is to be built and launched by Iran alone. It was reported in April 2011 that the $10 million dollar satellite built in Italy, has not been delivered to Iran. Italy has refused to hand over the satellite to Iran under the pretext of international sanctions on Iran. Iran maintains that the satellite be handed over for its launch by an Iranian satellite carrier.

• Mesbah-2 is a limited application communication satellite which was conceived as a locally designed satellite after the original Mesbah project failed to materialize due to international pressures on Iran. It will have a life span of 3 years with store dump capability and its own navigation system. It is scheduled for launch in 2012.

• Qaem, is a geosynchronous communication satellite that is being developed by Iran and is scheduled to be launched on an Iranian carrier by 2016. The satellite is going to have a life expectancy of 15 years, broadcasting TV and Radio channels.

• Pars Sepehr, is a remote sensing satellite being built and to be launched from Iran. Its launch date is not yet confirmed.

• Pars-2, is a remote sensing satellite being built and to be launched from Iran. Its launch schedule has not yet been announced.

• AUT-SAT, is a microsatellite being developed by students of Amirkabir University of Technology. It is designed as a remote sensing satellite with store-dump capability. It is to be launched in 2012. Amir Kabir satellite, weighing 80 kilograms, will reportedly be placed in a sun-synchronous orbit of 660 km in radius, and will remain in space between three and five years.

• ZS4 is an Iranian satellite to be launched by an Iranian launcher. Its mission role and launch date have not been revealed.

• Sina-2 is a small satellite that will replace the mission role of Sina-1.

• SM2S is an Iranian satellite to be launched by an Iranian launcher. Its mission role and launch date have not been revealed.

• Iran is also to implement 10 satellite projects with Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization (APSCO) members. The organization has defined 10 projects on designing, building and launching light satellites, middle class satellites weighing 500–600 kg, research satellites, remote-sensing and telecommunications satellites.

• Besharat satellite is being built by Iran with collaboration of some OIC members which have volunteered in the project. It is to be launched by Iran. The countries which are jointly working with Iran on the project are Pakistan, Turkey, Malaysia and some Arab countries. Its launch date is not yet confirmed.

• Zohreh is a geosynchronous communication satellite which was originally proposed before the Revolution in the 1970s as part of a joint Indian-Iranian project of four Iranian satellites to be launched by the then upcoming NASA space shuttles. Iran had also negotiated with France to build and launch the satellites but the project never materialized. In 2005, Iran negotiated with Russia to build and launch the first Zohreh satellite under an agreement worth $132 million dollars with the satellite launch date stipulated as 2007-08. The new agreement had followed the earlier failed negotiations with Russia in 2003 when Russia cancelled the project under US pressures. The satellite was to be of Express-1000 type and capable of relaying telephone, fax, data and television signals with a life span of 15 years. In September 2010, Iran announced that it will build and launch the satellite locally as the foreign contractors had refused to complete the project. New launch date for the satellite was announced as 2014. Russia had announced in 2009 that it is not going to cooperate with Iran on any space projects.
• Saar (Starling) will be produced by Iran's Khajeh Nasir Toosi University of Technology. No further details have been given.