Iran to Launch Zafar-2 Satellite in May or June

By Staff, Agencies

Iran said it is planning to put its domestically-built Zafar-2 [Triumph-2] satellite into orbit using a Simorgh [Phoenix] satellite carrier in May or June.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Iran's Minister of Communications and Information Technology Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi said Zafar-2 satellite is more advanced than Zafar-1, which fell short of reaching the designated orbit when it was launched on Sunday.

He added that the satellite will be launched in the next Persian calendar year in the month of Khordad [May 21-June 20].

“The design, construction and test of Zafar-2 satellite have been carried out and it has the same capabilities like Zafar-1, but its camera has a higher resolution than that of Zafar-1 and has an accuracy of 16 meters,” ISNA quoted him as saying.

Asked about the reason for the launch failure, Jahromi blamed the last 12 seconds for the incident.

“In the last 12 seconds the fuel or engine power of the satellite had to be increased to reach the desired speed, this did not take place and it could be related to fuel quality and weight of the second stage of the satellite. It can also be related to the power of engine,” he added. 

Jahromi noted that Zafar-1 could have been definitely put into orbit if the engine continued to operate for 12 more seconds, adding that the launch was 95 percent successful.