Iran fails to launch ‘Victory’ satellite into orbit

Iran was yesterday launched an observation satellite named Zafar (Victory) into space yesterday but failed to place it into orbit.

Iranian Minister of Information and Communications Technology Mohammad Javad Azari-Jahromi had announced that Tehran would launch the satellite from the Semnan province.

“The Zafar satellite will be placed in orbit today from Semnan at a speed of 7,400 kilometres,” he said yesterday.

Earlier this month, the head of Iran’s National Space Agency, Morteza Berari, said the Zafar satellite weighs 113 kilogrammes and will be launched into orbit 530 kilometres above Earth by a Simorgh rocket.

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Berari told AFP that the satellite’s “main mission” is to collect images to study earthquakes, deal with natural disasters and develop its agriculture.

The first mission of the Zafar satellite will be to transmit an image of former IRGC Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani, who was assassinated by the US in January, according to the Iranian Mehrs news agency.

The United States has raised concerns about Iran’s launching of the satellite saying long-range ballistic technology used to put satellites into orbit could also be used to launch nuclear warheads.