Iran's domestically developed satellite carrier rocket successfully launched three satellites in succession in the early hours of the 28th (local time), local media unanimously reported.
According to local reports such as Press TV, three satellites?Mahda, Keyhan-2, and Hatef-1?orbiting at altitudes between 450 and 1100 km were launched from the Imam Khomeini Space Launch Center in Semnan Province, carried by the Simorgh rocket developed by Iran's Ministry of Defense. This is the first time Iran has successfully launched three satellites on the same day.
The Mahda satellite is a 32 kg microsatellite (10?100 kg) designed by the Iranian Space Research Center to test the performance of the Simorgh rocket in low Earth orbit.
The Keyhan-2 and Hatef-1 satellites are nanosatellites (weighing 1?10 kg) designed by state-owned electronics companies under the Ministry of Defense. According to Iranian media, their purposes are research on satellite-based positioning systems (SBPS) and narrowband communication technology for the Internet of Things (IoT), respectively.
The Simorgh rocket, which Iran claims as a satellite launch vehicle, has previously failed several times in launch attempts.
The West suspects that Iran's satellite launches are linked to intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). Iran denies this, stating that its space development program is for peaceful and scientific purposes, but the United States argues that it violates United Nations Security Council resolutions prohibiting Iran from developing ballistic missiles related to nuclear weapon delivery.
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