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The Chabahar Space Centre located in southeastern Iran is ready to launch a satellite at the earliest opportunity, state media reported, citing the country's minister for Information and Communication Sattar Hashemi.
News outlet IRNA said that Hashemi, in an announcement on October 4, stated that the launch base, the largest in West Asia, has reached 93 per cent completion and its first phase will be operational soon. The Chabahar Space Base, located along the strategic Gulf of Oman with proximity to the equator, is the third satellite launch facility of the country.The other two complexes are, namely, Imam Khomeini Spaceport near Semnan and the Shahroud Space Centre in Qom. The Chabahar centre, dedicated to medium-heavy liquid-fueled launch vehicles, is Iran's national space launch site and one of several bases currently under construction, IRNA reported Iranian minister Hashemi said that two other major ground satellite stations - Salmas and Chenaran will also be launched soon. He emphasized that the infrastructure for satellite development is being established and that Iran's homegrown space industry and satellites promise a bright future for the Islamic Republic, reported IRNA. Iranian officials envision Phase 3 of Chabahar as a multi-mission complex capable of manned spaceflight, interplanetary probes, and commercial satellite services for developing nations seeking low-cost launch alternatives. According to Iranian Space Agency, Iran's first satellite, Omid was launched in 2009 aboard a Safir liquid-fuel rocket. It was followed by the launch of Rasad (2011), Navid (2012), and Fajr (2015) satellites. In July this year, the country successfully launched its telecommunications and research satellite Nahid-2 into space aboard a Russian Soyuz rocket. The development came a month after a US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Iran over their 12-day war in June. Iran's space program is expected to include multiple domestic and international launches this year, covering remote-sensing, communications, and experimental satellites, with precise launch dates subject to technical readiness, according to a report in the Tehran Times. Iranian Space Agency head Hassan Salarieh said that the country has planned launches of its advanced Kowsar, Zafar, and Paya satellites by next year. By 2030, Tehran says it aims to join the ranks of countries that are capable of launching, operating, and maintaining orbital assets independent of external suppliers. Western countries have voiced concern over Iran's satellite launches, warning that the same rocket technology can be used for ballistic missiles, adding that such activities pose a threat to regional and international security. (ANI)
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