Iran’s private sector unveils plan to build 200 satellites in three years
An Iranian private aerospace company has announced an ambitious plan to launch a 200-satellite constellation in three years, with the goal of performing more than 10 launches per month for remote sensing and IoT missions.
In an interview with Tasnim News Agency published on Tuesday, Hossein Shahrabi, CEO of the private firm SpaceOmid, outlined the plan, stating that experience from previous missions, including the “Kowsar” and “Hodhod” satellites, will be used to develop a new generation of multi-purpose satellites.
The upcoming “Kowsar 1.5” satellite, slated for launch this year, is designed to simultaneously handle both Earth imaging and IoT communications, he noted.
Elsewhere in his remarks, the CEO pointed to a fundamental migration of the space industry from the public to the private sector.
“If you want development speed, you must go to the private sector, and if you want to reduce costs, again, the private sector is the better choice,” he stated, emphasizing that private entities are nimbler and more cost-effective.
However, he noted that the ultimate goal is not merely to act as a government contractor but to become a key player in the “value chain.”
He drew a parallel to SpaceX, noting, “SpaceX did not build the Starlink constellation based on a NASA order; Starlink was designed and built based on the company’s own commercial program. This shows the real meaning of market development.”
To achieve this, the company is pursuing an international strategy, seeking partnerships within BRICS, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and the Eurasian Economic Union to form “a very large market.”
“A constellation cannot be designed solely for the Iranian market; such thinking is fundamentally flawed. Every constellation must be planned for the international market,” Shahrabi underlined.
He added that this involves collaborating with both domestic and international launch providers to facilitate the high-frequency launch schedule.
Iran’s space program stands as a testament to phenomenal scientific progress, having achieved remarkable technological breakthroughs despite decades of illegal Western-imposed sanctions.
These satellites, developed by Iranian engineers associated with various knowledge-based companies in collaboration with the Iranian Space Agency (ISA), reflect a strategic push to establish an independent satellite constellation that will support agricultural, environmental, and surveillance needs.
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