Azernews.Az

Iran will launch its own communications satellite into space in five years, head of the country's space agency, Hamid Fazeli, said, IRIB news agency reported.

Fazeli said that previously Iran already had a similar project, Qaem, which never took off the ground.

"We have reconsidered this idea, and made some design and construction modifications," Fazeli said, adding that the new communications satellite, IranSat, will be lighter than Qaem was initially planned to be.

According to Fazeli, the Qaem project would have taken 10 years to complete, while due to modifications made to IranSat, it will be completed in only five years.

The satellite, which will weigh 250 kilograms, will be sent into a geostationary orbit using a domestically manufactured launcher to transmit radio and television broadcasts and provide telecommunications and internet services, Fazeli said.

He added that Iran plans to send IranSat into space via three stages. First one of which would be sending IranSat 1 into space in two years, then IranSat 2 will be sent in 1,5 years after that.

IranSat 1 and Iran Sat 2 will be sent to space as test objects, while the completed IranSat 3 satellite will be sent as a completely functioning communication satellite.

Fazeli noted that satellite's manufacturing and design cost $70 million, launching of the satellites - $30 million, plus additional $40 million for transferring function blocks.

Iran launched its first satellite, called the Omid (Hope), in February 2009. The Rasad (Observation) satellite was also sent into orbit in June 2011.

In February 2012, Iran successfully put its third domestically manufactured satellite, named the Navid (Promise), into the orbit. On February 8, 2012, Iran received the first image sent by the Navid satellite.

As part of its space program, Iran also plans to launch the Fajr (Dawn) satellite in the near future.

The Fajr, which is a reconnaissance satellite powered by solar energy, will be Iran's first new-generation satellite to be sent into space.