Russian rocket takes Iranian satellites Kowsar, Hodhod into orbit: Envoy

Tehran, IRNA—Iran’s ambassador to Russia has confirmed that Iranian satellites Kowsar and Hodhod have been successfully launched by the Soyuz 2.1b spacecraft blasting off from Russia’s Vostochny Cosmodrome.

In a message posted on his personal account on the social media platform X on Tuesday, Kazem Jalali hailed the successful launch of the two satellites, which were developed by Iranian engineers at the knowledge-based company Omidfaza, earlier in the day.

“The Iranian satellites Kowsar and Hodhod were launched this morning by the Soyuz 2.1b rocket,” he wrote.

Jalali further noted that within hours, the two satellites—one designed for land observation and the other for Internet of Things (IoT) applications in narrowband—would be injected into their designated orbits.

Kowsar, a high-resolution imaging satellite, is the first satellite developed by Omidfaza, with its design process beginning in 2019. Following the cubic satellite standard, Kowsar weighs 30 kg and has an estimated orbital lifespan of over three years.

Hodhod, a small communications satellite, weighs 4 kg and orbits at an altitude of 500 km, with a lifespan of approximately four years.