Russia launches two Iranian satellites into orbit
Russia launched two Iranian-made satellites into orbit on 5 November.
Source: Institute for the Study of War (ISW)
Details: In so doing, Russia has continued the trend of bilateral Russian-Iranian space cooperation.
A Russian Soyuz 2.1b launch vehicle took off from the Vostochny cosmodrome in Amur Oblast on the morning of 5 November, launching 53 satellites to an altitude of 500 kilometres.
Iranian media reported that this launch included the Iranian Kousar and Hodhod satellites.
The Kousar satellite is said to be a high-resolution satellite intended for imaging the earth’s surface, aiding agricultural efforts, natural resource management, and environmental monitoring, while the Hodhod satellite is engineered to facilitate satellite communications and internet networks, specifically to enhance connectivity in remote areas.
Both satellites were developed and manufactured by the private Iranian firm Omid Faza.
Previously, Russia launched the Iranian remote sensing satellite Haiyam (also known as Kanopus-B) and the research satellite Pars-1 into orbit in August 2022 and February 2024, respectively.
ISW has previously assessed that Iran could potentially utilise these satellites for overseas operations.
To quote ISW's Key Takeaways on 5 November:
- The first North Korean forces have likely officially engaged in combat against Ukrainian troops in Kursk Oblast.
- The Kremlin appointed the first-ever "Time of Heroes" programme participant to a federal-level position, furthering its ongoing effort to staff government positions with pro-war veterans and set long-term conditions for the militarisation of Russian government bodies from local to federal levels.
- Russia launched two Iranian-made satellites into orbit on 5 November via a Russian space-launch vehicle, furthering a trend of Russian-Iranian bilateral space cooperation.
- Russian forces recently advanced southeast of Kupiansk, northwest of Kreminna, in Chasiv Yar, near Toretsk, southeast of Pokrovsk, northeast of Kurakhove, near Vuhledar, and north of Robotyne.
- Ukrainian forces recently regained lost positions south of Chasiv Yar.
- The Russian military is struggling to maintain a sufficient number of quality personnel within traditionally elite forces.
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