Paya, Iran’s 150kg AI imaging satellite, leads trio; Zafar-2 academic-built, Kowsar 1.5 private
Iranian satellites were launched via Russian Soyuz rocket. PHOTO: SPACE FLIGHT NOW
Iran has launched three domestically developed observation satellites into orbit aboard a Russian Soyuz rocket, marking another milestone in Tehran’s expanding space programme, state media reported on Sunday.
The satellites — Paya, Zafar-2 and Kowsar 1.5 — were sent into space from Russia’s Vostochny Cosmodrome and are now orbiting Earth at an altitude of around 500 kilometres. Iranian officials said the mission was carried out for civilian and research purposes.
According to the official IRNA news agency, the satellites were designed by Iran’s private sector and academic institutions and will be used for Earth observation, environmental monitoring and resource management.
Paya, weighing about 150 kilograms, is the most advanced and heaviest imaging satellite built by Iran to date. It is equipped with artificial intelligence capabilities to enhance image resolution and will be used for monitoring water resources, mapping and environmental analysis. Zafar-2 was developed by university researchers, while Kowsar 1.5 is an upgraded high-resolution satellite produced by a private Iranian firm.
The Fars news agency said the Soyuz rocket was selected due to its reliability in carrying sensitive payloads. Iran has conducted 10 satellite launches over the past two years, including a previous mission from the same Russian launch facility in July.
Officials said the satellites will support civilian applications such as agricultural planning, disaster response during floods and earthquakes, and tracking environmental changes. The launch was celebrated at a live-broadcast event in Tehran attended by senior government figures.
Iranian Space Agency (ISA) head Hassan Salariyeh described the mission as evidence of the “maturity” of Iran’s space sector, highlighting collaboration between private companies and universities. Information and Communications Technology Minister Issa Zarepour said the programme was critical for national management and technological self-reliance amid ongoing Western sanctions.
