Iran successfully launched three domestically built satellites, Paya (Tolou‑3), Zafar 2, and an upgraded Kowsar, into low Earth orbit at roughly 500 kilometres on December 28 from Russia’s Vostochny Cosmodrome, using a Russian Soyuz rocket, IRIB News reported.

The triple launch marks a leap in Iran’s domestic space capabilities, combining government, university, and private-sector expertise. It strengthens Earth observation, smart agriculture, and disaster-monitoring infrastructure while signalling Tehran’s strategic push for technological self-reliance amid sanctions and closer ties with Russia.

The multi-payload launch, confirmed by Iran’s Ambassador to Moscow Kazem Jalali, represents the seventh Iranian mission relying on Russian launchers.

Jalali stressed that the satellites were entirely designed and built by Iranian scientists and engineers, highlighting collaboration between government agencies, universities, and private knowledge-based companies.

“Two of the satellites are government-owned, one is private, indicating the active role of academia and start-ups in our space programme,” he said.

Paya, also known as Tolou‑3, is Iran’s heaviest Earth-observation satellite to date at approximately 150 kilograms.

Built with contributions from domestic electronics industries and start-ups, it delivers high-resolution imaging, capturing five‑metre detail in panchromatic mode and 10‑metre in colour, suited for water resource management, environmental monitoring, agriculture, mapping, and natural hazard observation.

Zafar 2, a university-led satellite developed by the Iran University of Science and Technology, weighs between 100 and 135 kilograms. It features advanced indigenous subsystems, including refined attitude control and upgraded solar arrays, offering 15‑metre spatial resolution for natural resource monitoring, mapping, agriculture, and disaster management.

The satellite represents a fully localised design-to-deployment workflow, underscoring Tehran’s capacity to independently engineer complex space assets.

The upgraded Kowsar satellite combines imaging and Internet of Things functionality, providing real-time operational data to support smart agriculture and data-driven applications. Its complementary role reinforces the growing Iranian network of Earth-observation and data satellites.

Jalali described Iran-Russia space cooperation as “extensive and expanding,” noting that prior to current geopolitical strains, Western satellites frequently used the Soyuz launcher.

The ambassador also highlighted a recently signed comprehensive bilateral treaty as a framework for future collaboration, including in space technology.

Iran’s foray into orbit began in 2009 with the Omid satellite. Despite sanctions and international scrutiny, Tehran has steadily augmented its civilian space programme, focusing on indigenous design, research-driven development, and satellite constellation expansion.