Iran will launch the Misbah artificial satellite into the Earth's orbit by mid-2011, Iranian Aerospace Industries Organization Chairman Mehdi Farahi was quoted as saying by the Mehr news agency.
According to Farahi, the satellite will be launched into orbit from Italy.
"Basically, the satellite will send information to Iran. However, the information itself can be obtained in Europe and the U.S. This satellite is low orbit," he said.
Farahi said the satellite is designed to receive and send information.
"The responsibility for launching the satellite into orbit lies on Iran's aerospace organizations. I hope that in 2010 we will be able to implement this project," he said.
The satellite's total weight is 63.5 kilograms, Farahi added.
The satellite's production began in 1977 and was later frozen for 19 years. The Iranian Aerospace Industries Organization resumed the project in 1996.