Iran puts ‘Jam‑e Jam 1’ into orbit in milestone for national broadcasting

Iran’s national broadcaster has successfully launched its first dedicated geostationary satellite “Jam-e Jam 1”, internationally registered as “Iran DBS”, marking a strategic step toward strengthening the country’s space-based media infrastructure.

The satellite, owned by the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), was launched into space from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Jam-e Jam 1 was placed into orbit minutes after liftoff aboard a Proton-M carrier rocket, alongside a Russian meteorological satellite.

According to IRIB’s Media Development and Technology Department, Jam-e Jam 1 represents the first technical and operational step toward implementing next-generation interactive radio and television broadcasting technology.

The satellite has been designed to transmit interactive audio and video signals to ground-based public broadcasting stations, laying the groundwork for interactive mass broadcasting services.

Based on the scheduled plan, Jam-e Jam 1 will be transferred and stabilized at its final orbital position at 34 degrees East within less than three weeks. The designated orbital slot is expected to provide optimal coverage for IRIB’s communications requirements.

Officials stressed that Jam-e Jam 1 is application-oriented in nature. Unlike direct-to-home (DTH) broadcasting satellites designed for household receivers, signals from this satellite require professional and specialized equipment and cannot be received through ordinary home satellite receivers.

The project guarantees the necessary communications framework for consolidating interactive broadcasting technology within the national broadcaster and opens what officials described as a new chapter in the technical independence of Iran’s national media in the space-based domain.

Head of the Iranian Space Agency (ISA) Hassan Salariyeh said early this month that plans are underway to launch additional satellites and inaugurate new space projects before the end of the current Iranian calendar year on March 20.

He also announced the upcoming unveiling of the main prototype of the Martyr Qassem Soleimani satellite system, which will be placed in low Earth orbit and has been described as the first satellite constellation project of its kind in Iran and the Muslim world.

His remarks came as Iran showcased its latest achievements in space technology on National Space Technology Day on February 3, including the unveiling of a domestically developed satellite, the first images captured by the recently launched Paya satellite, and a new space facility.

Iran first entered the global space arena in February 2009 with the launch of its domestically produced Omid (Hope) satellite aboard a Safir rocket.

Since then, despite sanctions imposed by Western countries, the Islamic Republic has expanded its civilian space program and is now considered among the world’s top countries capable of developing and launching satellites.

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