IRGC Unveils Plan for Homegrown Satellite Constellation
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps has long-term plans to create a satellite constellation, a commander said.
Speaking to Tasnim, Commander of the IRGC Aerospace Force’s Space Division General Ali Jafarabadi said the establishment of a satellite constellation is on the agenda of the IRGC.
A constellation may include five to 500 satellites, he said, noting that it will be inevitable for the IRGC to create its own constellation according to the plans that have been already arranged.
The commander said Iran must prepare the infrastructures for manufacturing a large number of satellites and stabilize the satellite carrier industry to create its own constellation.
General Jafarabadi pointed to the progress in developing the ‘Qaem-105’ satellite carrier, which he said is expected to take off in the winter or spring of 2025.
Known as the IRGC’s first four-stage satellite carrier, Qaem-105 can carry a payload twice as heavy as that of Qaem-100, he added.
The successful launch of Qaem-105 will enable Iran to send heavier satellites into higher altitudes, he stated.
In remarks in January, General Jafarabadi said that within the next three years, Iran will test launch the ‘Qaem-120’ satellite carrier, which is planned to send satellites into an orbit 36,000 kilometers above Earth.
On January 20, the IRGC Aerospace Force successfully put Soraya satellite into an orbit 750 kilometers above Earth in 11 minutes with Qaem-100, a three-stage satellite carrier running on solid fuel.