Assembling Of Nahid-1 Satellite To Be Finished in 5 Weeks
ICT Minister Rejects Claims about Failed Satellite Launch
Sat Aug 31, 2019 1:43
"I have no idea about Trump's claim on alleged satellite launch or missile test at the Semnan Space Research center," Azari Jahromi said on Friday, on the sidelines of his visit to Space Science Research Plant.
Azari Jahromi was reacting to a rumor about a failed “Nahid 1” satellite launch, saying that the satellite was safe and sitting inside a laboratory.
His remarks came after, Trump on Friday tweeted a highly-detailed aerial image that appeared to show the charred rocket launch pad and damaged vehicles at the Imam Khomeini Space Centre in Iran’s Semnan province, after an apparent rocket explosion at the site a day earlier.
“The United States of America was not involved in the catastrophic accident during final launch preparations,” Trump wrote.
He declined to say where the photo came from, however, telling reporters outside the White House, “You'll have to figure that one out yourself.”
Anonymous Iranian officials told Reuters that
the rocket had exploded due to “technical issues”, but there has been no official statement from Iran's government so far.
Commenting on the characteristics and features of the Nahid-1 satellite, the ICT Minister said, "Nahid 1 can stay in space for two-and-a-half months."
Azari Jahromi on the latest situation of the Nahid-1 said that
satellite is in the assembling of cameras process and this step will be finished 5 weeks later but will be tested in a laboratory situation.
Iran's ICT minister showed Nahid-1 Satellite to reporters and rejected any suggestion of satellite launch, saying, "Nahid 1 is a Telecommunication satellite and it will work in the UHF band and KU and will establish communicative connections and is primarily a communications satellite."
"Nahid 1 will be stationed in a 250 Kilometer orbit around the earth and its operation time is 2.5 months. Nahid 1 is equipped with high-resolution cameras and can take high-resolution photographs and send them back to earth," he added.
Azari Jahromi stressed that Nahid 1 is equipped with the latest technology and after the testing of Nahid we can use a series of such satellites as a Telecommunication System.
"The latest technology of opening and closing solar cells on the satellite will be tested with Nahid-1. After testing, we can mass produce these communication satellites, creating a series of telecommunication systems in Leo's Layer of earth," the minister added.
Iran has showcased the newly-developed satellite “Nahid 1” that had undergone final testing and is being prepared for a launch in the near future.
On Friday, US President Trump tweeted an uncommonly high-resolution photo of an apparent explosion at Iran's space Centre, raising questions over whether it was supposed to be shared.
Early in February, Azari Jahromi reiterated that Iran’s space program is completely peaceful, rejecting any connection between the country’s missile program and space technology.
Iran's space industry is facing US sanctions but the Islamic Republic has managed to overcome them by relying on domestic capabilities and capacities, Azari Jahromi said.
The US, he said, is trying to disrupt the program, while the Europeans are refusing to cooperate with Iran in the field.
“Iran is seeking further cooperation with other countries within the framework of space diplomacy as the country pursues a peaceful space technology,” he added.
Head of the Iranian Space Agency (ISA) Morteza Barari had announced in mid-December 2018 that his country's plans to manufacture a home-made telecommunication satellite in the next few years.
"Building an indigenized telecommunication satellite within the next 7 years is atop the ISA's plans," Barari said.
Barari underlined that Iran also planned to build a sensing satellite with a 1-meter precision power in 7 years.
Barari had also announced in October that his country was standing among the 9 top world countries in developing satellites.
He also added that Iran ranked first in the region in the aerospace sector, explaining that Iran ranked 14th in the world in 2016 but it jumped three grades and ranked 11th in the world in 2017.
▲ 1. Iranian ICT Minister: Nahid-1 can stay in space for 2.5 month, 250 km away from earth.
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Commentary
Also according to North Korean past practice, during each space launch campaign, a second launcher is also sent to the space center, as a backup.