Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 3
By Fatih Karimov - Trend:
The Iranian-made satellite Fajr which was sent into space on Feb. 2 is not designed for military purposes, said Mehdi Sarvi, manager of Iran Electronic Industries Space Projects.
Sarvi said the satellite will be used in the fields of shipping, transportation, agriculture, and meteorology, Iran's IRNA news agency reported on Feb. 3.
The satellite is tasked with taking and sending pictures with 50 meters resolution from the Earth. Taking photos for mapping and meteorological purposes as well as carrying tests for improving Iran's space technology are among the Fajr's missions.
The satellite was sent into space by the Iranian-produced satellite carrier Safir. The Fajr satellite is a reconnaissance satellite powered by solar energy.
Iran launched its first indigenous satellite, Omid (Hope), in 2009, and also sent its first bio-capsule containing living creatures into space in February 2010, using the indigenous Kavoshgar-3 (Explorer-3) carrier.
Iran also plans to send man into space in the next several years. Iran Space Agency director Hamid Fazeli said last September that the agency has a plan to send a man into space, and the plan has been prepared within the framework of the national roadmap for scientific development.