Iran to launch 'reconnaissance' satellite

[chex3009]

Iran will launch a reconnaissance satellite dubbed the "Fajr" in the next few months, Defence Minister Ahmad Vahidi said in a report Saturday by the official IRNA news agency.

Vahidi said the Islamic republic would also put into space around the same time another satellite, the Rasad 1 (Observation), whose launch was originally scheduled for August 2010.

Iran is "building different satellites and by end of the (Iranian) year (March 2011), the Fajr and Rasad satellites will be launched into space," the minister was quoted as saying.

The news agency reported that Fajr (Dawn) was a "reconnaissance satellite" that would operate on solar energy.

"These satellites are different from the previous models. They have better fuel systems and can stay in space for a longer time," Vahidi said.

Vahidi said he expected Rasad 1 to be delivered to the communication ministry and launched during the 32nd anniversary of the 1979 Islamic revolution which falls on February 11, 2011.

In February 2009, Iran launched its first home-built satellite, the Omid (Hope).

http://geneva-globaldefence.blogspot.com/2010/12/iran-to-launch-reconnaissance-satellite.html

 

[sandeepdg]

Great, now the Iranians are launching a recon satellite, and we don't one of ours as yet up there !! Buckle up, defense forces of India !

 

[Tshering22]

^^ Actually we do but it is not as networked as Israel's, US' or Russia's is; hence it cannot be called a system. As far as Iranian programme goes, I doubt that their satellites would be as capable as required exactly in the modern battlefield. Being secluded from the world and hence off the sensitive tech, I am sure they will never openly tell the capabilities of their satellites. Its a strategy that most absolutist regimes use: Iran, China, Noth Korea, Saudi, etc etc