Russia's space agency to launch Iranian satellite into orbit

The satellite, named Khayyam, was developed and manufactured at enterprises that are part of Roscosmos.

 The Soyuz MS-19 spacecraft is rolled out onto the launchpad at Baikonour Cosmodrome ahead of the next crew launch to the ISS (photo credit: Andrey Shelepin/GCTC/Russian space agency Roscosmos/Handout via REUTERS)
The Soyuz MS-19 spacecraft is rolled out onto the launchpad at Baikonour Cosmodrome ahead of the next crew launch to the ISS
(photo credit: Andrey Shelepin/GCTC/Russian space agency Roscosmos/Handout via REUTERS)

Russia will launch an Iranian satellite into space on Tuesday, the Russian space agency Roscosmos announced on Wednesday.

The satellite, named Khayyam, was developed and manufactured at enterprises that are part of Roscosmos, according to the agency.

The remote-sensing satellite will provide "accurate spatial data" to Iran to improve agricultural productivity, monitoring of water resources, management of natural disasters and monitoring of mines and Iran's borders, among other uses, according to Iranian media. 

Additional information about the satellite will be published next week, according to Iranian media.

Roscosmos director meets with Iranian ambassador

On Wednesday, Roscosmos Director General Yury Borisov discussed the current status of bilateral projects with Iranian Ambassador to Russia Kazem Jalali.

 A first military satellite named Noor is launched into orbit by Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps, in Semnan, Iran April 22, 2020.  (credit: WANA/SEPAH NEWS VIA REUTERS)
A first military satellite named Noor is launched into orbit by Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps, in Semnan, Iran April 22, 2020. (credit: WANA/SEPAH NEWS VIA REUTERS)

“You are our dear and frequent guests. The Iranian Embassy in Moscow traditionally plays an important role in the development of our bilateral relations and provides us with constant assistance in ensuring effective interaction with colleagues from the Iranian Space Agency, other relevant organizations and federal bodies. Recently, we have had a very intensive schedule of contacts, and I am sure that in the future we will be able to increase the pace we have already taken and will hold as many meetings as we need so that our relations will only strengthen,” said Borisov.

The two also discussed the importance of joint efforts aimed at strengthening economic and technological ties between the two countries and the possibility of supplying non-core products by Roscosmos enterprises to Iran.