Amid tensions with Israel, Iran successfully sends two satellites into orbit this Tuesday using Russian Soyuz rocket.
This Tuesday, Iran sent two satellites into orbit using a Russian rocket, a move that reflected growing cooperation between Moscow and Tehran amid growing tensions between Tehran and Tel Aviv.
The launch took place in Vostochny launchpad in far eastern Russia and put Iran’s two satellites, named Kowsar and Hodhod, into orbit nine minutes after the launch. The Soyuz rocket was also carrying two Russian Ionosphere-M Earth observation satellites and several dozen smaller satellites as well.
Cooperation between Tehran and Moscow in the field of outer space dates back to more than a decade ago. In one the latest joint space activities in January 2022, a Russian rocket launched an Iranian Earth observation satellite called Khayyam that was built in Russia on Tehran’s order, and in February Russia put another Iranian satellite named Pars-1 into orbit.
The two countries are planning to further extend their ties with a “comprehensive strategic partnership” that is set to be signed during Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian’s planned visit to Russia, the date for which hasn’t been set yet, but the Kremlin said it could happen soon.
Iran’s progress in space field worries Washington and Tel Aviv!
Tuesday’s successful launch of the Iranian satellites happened while the country has a history of failed attempts to launch and put satellites into orbit in recent years. There have been five failed launches in a row for the Simorgh program, a satellite-carrying rocket, for example.
However, the US intelligence community’s worldwide threat assessment this year said Iran’s development of satellite launch vehicles has been considerable and claimed that this could “shorten the timeline” for Iran to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile because it uses similar technology. The US and Israel believe that Iran may use space technology for military use in the future as Intercontinental ballistic missiles can be used to deliver nuclear weapons.
