Overview
- A Russian rocket from the Vostochny Cosmodrome placed Iran’s Paya, Kowsar and Zafar-2 into low Earth orbit at roughly 500 kilometers.
- Iran describes Paya as its most advanced domestically built imaging satellite at about 150 kilograms, developed by Iran Electronics Industries, a Defense Ministry subsidiary.
- State reports say the satellites can capture images with up to 3-meter resolution for water management, agriculture and environmental monitoring, with lifespans of up to five years.
- Kowsar weighs about 35 kilograms, and the launch marks the second Russian deployment of Iranian satellites since July, reflecting ongoing cooperation under their strategic partnership.
- The United States has previously linked Iran’s space efforts to ballistic missile activity targeted by sanctions, as regional tensions persist before a scheduled Trump–Netanyahu meeting.