Iranian Space Agency

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The Iranian Space Agency (ISA) is a governmental based space research organization.

The president of Iranian Space Agency is one of the deputies of the ministry of communication and information technology. ISA was established to conduct research in the field of space and aero technology. This fields include remote sensing and development of national and international space technology and communication networks. Iranian Space Agency performs the approvals of the Iran Space Council(ISC), which is established in order to peacefully use space technology and science and the above atmosphere space to develop the culture, technology science and finance of the country.

1 Launch Vehicles
2 Space Centers
3 Future Projects
4 See also
5 References
6 External links

[edit] Launch Vehicles

Iran is known to have developed a satellite launch vehicle of the Shahab family quite similar with the DPRK's Taepodong 2.

[edit] Space Centers

The main launch site of the Iranian Space Agency is Emamshahr, located at 36°25′0″N, 55°01′0″E, where suborbital Shahab 3s LV have been launched. Qom, located at 34°39′0″N, 50°54′0″E, is the other launch site.

[edit] Future Projects

Although Sinah-1, the first Iranian satellite has been built and launched by the Russians on October 28, 2005 on a Kosmos-3 booster rocket from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, making Iran the 43rd country to possess its own satellite, Iran still hopes to become a satellite-launching nation.

The second Iranian satellite, Sina-2 should be launched in 2008 also on a Russian rocket ^[1].

The next Iranian satellite, Mesbah should be built by Iran with Italian assistance and launched on a domestically made rocket.

The Sahab-4 rocket still in development with an estimated range of 2000 miles is said to be able to launch satellites in space.

The Iranian Space Agency director has declared in 2005 that in order to reach her ambitious goal of ranking among the top 8 spacefaring nations, the government would allocate for the next five years, USD 500 millions to the space program ^[2].

According to Mehran Mirshams, deputy head of Iran Aerospace Association, Iranian experts are currently engaged in the development of five satellite projects including Zohreh, Mesbah, ZS4, SM2S and Sepehr ^[3].

The IRNA press agency has revealed in November 21, 2005 that Iran was proceeding with her manned space program with the development of a small spacecraft and a space lab ^[4].