Iran’s latest imaging satellite, Tadbir, is ready to be launched, according to the Rector of the Iran University of Science and Technology, Dr. Mohammad Ali Barkhordari.
Dr. Barkhordari told Iranian media that while the Tadbir imaging satellite – built be a team of researchers and engineers at the Iran University of Science and Technology – is ready, at present there is no launch date.
The satellite team at Iran University of Science and Technology had previously built the Navid experimental imaging satellite that was successfully launched in February 2012. Quoted by Iran’s Mehr News Agency, Dr. Barkhordari said, “The second satellite [Tadbir] with more advanced features than the first [Navid] one has been designed, constructed and already delivered to Iranian Space Agency.”
Dr. Barkhordari also told reporters that Iran University of Science and Technology had recently signed an agreement with the Iranian Space Agency to build satellites with greater technological capacity, saying that, “about 80 researchers at the satellite research center in Iran University of Science and Technology are working on satellite projects that have been requested to be built.”
It seems, however, that Dr. Barkhordari’s team is having to work under fiscal pressure, since, “the process on some research projects have slowed down due to limited budget.” This said, Dr. Barkhordari noted that, “the satellite projects are making fast progress.”
According to Dr. Barkhordari, the request to build more technically capable satellites poses some challenges since, “in some fields, we still need development but in other areas we have become fully self-sufficient.” So self-sufficient, it seems, that, “a South Korean delegation that recently paid a visit to the IUST was completely surprised at our advancements in building satellite accessories.”
“We have made quite a good progress in building university satellites, and the technical knowledge of such satellites are being constantly developed,” said Dr. Barkhordari.
Original published at: http://spacewatchme.com/2016/11/irans-tadbir-imaging-satellite-ready-launch/
