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On August 9, 2022, the Iranian satellite Khayyam was successfully launched into orbit by a Russian Soyuz rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The satellite, weighing 600 kilograms, was placed in an orbit 500 kilometers above the Earth.

Khayyam is a remote sensing satellite designed to provide images and data for various sectors and sciences. It is used in agriculture, natural resources, environment, water resources, mines, border control, and management of contingencies. The satellite is controlled and operated by Iranian experts stationed at the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology’s space bases in Iran.

Shortly after its launch, Khayyam began transmitting telemetry signals. The Iranian Space Agency (ISA) reported that the satellite is designed to cross over the Iranian sky four times a day and communicate with ground stations.

One notable aspect of Khayyam is its calibration process, which was conducted in just six months. This is considerably faster compared to conventional remote-sensing satellites, which usually require six months to one year for calibration.

Iran chose to collaborate with Russia for this mission due to the reasonable cost of the Russian Soyuz satellite carrier and its high safety factor. Many countries with expertise in the space industry prefer to use Russian carriers to launch their satellites.

Since its launch, Khayyam has been providing data and images with high accuracy and resolution. The Iranian Space Agency’s spokesperson, Hossein Dalirian, announced that the data would be gradually shared with various state-run and private sectors to meet the country’s needs in agriculture, natural resources, environment, water resources, mines, border control, and management of contingencies.

In addition to Khayyam, Iran has unveiled other satellites, Nahid-2 and Tolu’-3, as part of its space technology advancements. The images taken by Khayyam include views of the Jamkaran Mosque near the city of Qom and the holy shrine of Imam Ali (AS) in Iraq’s Najaf. Images of Al Baqi Cemetery in Saudi Arabia’s Medina were also published.

The Iranian Space Agency has signed a cooperation agreement with Iran’s National Cartographic Center to make the most of space technologies in geomatics and cartography. This includes the compilation and revision of Iran’s national atlases, satellite monitoring of natural disasters, and the exchange of maps and spatial data.

Khayyam’s advanced technology allows it to produce satellite images with a 1-meter spatial resolution, helping Iran update its maps after approximately two decades. The satellite has already covered more than 30% of Iran’s total area as of June 21.

Khayyam has started remote sensing activities to monitor and map land use changes in collaboration with the Information Technology Organization of Iran (ITO). The satellite’s data will be used to address legal challenges concerning land use changes and assist state agencies in various fields, including environmental monitoring, water resources, soil erosion, and land subsidence.

The launch of Khayyam marks the beginning of “strategic” aerospace cooperation between Iran and Moscow. Despite facing sanctions, Iran continues to make significant advancements in science and technology.

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