Iran’s newly launched homegrown satellite sends 1st signal to Earth

Tehran: Iran’s newly launched domestically developed satellite has sent its first signal to the Earth, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported Sunday.
“Dubbed Soraya, the satellite, which was placed in an orbit at some 750 kilometers above the Earth’s surface on Saturday, has successfully transmitted its first signal to the Earth,” reported Tasnim, citing the Iranian Space Agency.
Iran’s Minister of Information and Communications Technology Isa Zarepour also confirmed Sunday the reception of the satellite’s first signal in a post on the Iranian social media platform Virasty, saying, “Last night, our ground satellite tracking stations received Soraya’s signals and the telemetry data to prove the favorable functioning of its energy supply, automatic positioning, communications and control, and processing subsystems, indicating that the satellite is in good condition.”
According to Tasnim, the lightweight 47-kg research and telecommunication satellite, with a three-year lifespan, was sent into orbit by Iran’s homegrown Qaem-100 three-stage solid-fuel launch vehicle, which is developed by the Aerospace Division of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC).
Announcing the satellite’s launch in another post on Saturday, Zarepour said the launch had set a new record in terms of height.
According to the semi-official Fars news agency, the Soraya satellite was manufactured by the Iranian Space Research Center.
The IRGC, in November 2022, successfully test-launched the Qaem-100 satellite carrier, Iranian official IRNA news agency reported.
UNI/XINHUA