Iran Launches Three Satellites with Russian Aid

Iran successfully launched three domestically developed Earth-observation satellites into orbit on Sunday, December 28, with assistance from Russia, marking another milestone in Tehran's space program amid international sanctions.

The satellites, named Paya, Zafar 2, and Kowsar, were deployed aboard a Russian Soyuz 2.1b rocket from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in eastern Siberia. The launch formed part of a rideshare mission that carried a total of 52 satellites, including two Russian Aist 2T observation platforms, cubesats for Russian universities, and payloads from other nations such as the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Belarus. Iranian state media reported the mission's success, highlighting the satellites' role in monitoring agriculture, mapping natural resources, managing water supplies, and assessing environmental conditions.

Paya, weighing approximately 150 kilograms, stands as Iran's heaviest and most advanced imaging satellite to date, incorporating artificial intelligence to enhance image resolution up to three meters. Developed by Iran Electronics Industries in collaboration with the Iranian Space Agency, it was produced by the private sector. Zafar 2, built by Iran...