The Soyuz cargo bay also contained two satellites provided by Iran. These are “Kousar” and “Hodhod“. The first ship was equipped with high-resolution Earth imaging instruments. Officially, its purpose is to be agricultural, natural resources management and environmental protection.
However, “Hodhod” is communication satellite, which is intended to provide connections (including the Internet) in regions that are difficult to access. It can therefore be said that the task is similar to what SpaceX’s Starlink offers.
It’s worth adding that This is not the first cooperation of this type between Russia and Iran. Earlier, two other Iranian satellites launched by Russians were put into orbit. In August 2022, the Khayyam Earth remote sensing vessel (also known as Canopus-B) was launched into space. However, in February 2024, Pars-1, which is allegedly a research satellite, flew.
ISW, the American Center for the Study of War, states that Tuesday’s Soyuz launch is the next one proof of the strengthening cooperation between Russians and Iranians in the space sector. Think Thank believes that both sides are continuing the trend of bilateral cooperation in this field, which may be disturbing. It is worth adding that ISW also recently reported on North Korean soldiers arriving in regions near Ukraine.
The mentioned loads were raised to an altitude of approximately 500 km above the Earth’s surface. The “Kousar” and “Hodhod” satellites were built and designed by a private Iranian company called Omid Faza. According to ISW estimates, both ships, although officially intended for different purposes, could remain future use by Iran for military purposes. Including those related to conflicts taking place outside the country’s borders.
Source: geekweek.interia.pl
