Iran Space Research Center Launches EMC Lab

During a ceremony at the research center a new radio telescope was also unveiled for astronomical observations by academia and space lovers, the ICT Ministry website reported.

ISRC chief Hossein Samimi said, “Establishing the EMC lab was pivotal to advancing Iran’s space program… Equipment used in space operations must be able to function as planned in the presence of several electromagnetic phenomena.”

EMC is the branch of electrical engineering related to the unintentional generation, propagation and reception of electromagnetic energy which may cause unwanted effects such as electromagnetic interference or even physical damage in operational equipment, Financial Tribune reported.

Tests in the lab are designed to make certain that the equipment operates as desired when exposed to electromagnetic radiation.

The unveiled radio telescope has been designed and made by Abassabad Renovation Company affiliated to Tehran Municipality. The telescope is likely to be installed at Gonbad Mina Planetarium in Ab-o-Atash Park, literally the "Water-and-Fire Park", in north Tehran. The radio telescope is to be employed for astronomical observations by scientists and space lovers.

Lab Pivotal

The ceremony was attended by ICT Minister Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi who said, “The EMC lab is certain to play a key role in advancing Iran’s space program. The laboratory has been built at a cost of 250 billion rials ($1.8 million).”

“By launching special facilities and laboratories we are moving closer towards developing Iran’s space industries…  A roadmap for the space program is in the making.”

The minister pointed to efforts made for commercializing space sciences, adding that work is on track to increase application of satellite imagery in agro-management.

An agreement has been signed between the ministries of ICT, energy, agriculture, Plan and Budget Organization and Department of Environment to improve and expand application of space science in national development.

Failed Launches

“Iran’s attempt to put Dousti and Payam satellites into orbit failed,” the ICT minister noted for the first time on Monday, adding, “[even] experiencing failure in space missions was something that we needed to learn from.”

This was the first time a senior official confirmed that satellite Dousti’s launch had failed. Iran attempted to put it into orbit a few weeks earlier without officials announcing it. The date of the launch is not clear.

Dousti (friendship in Persian) was a locally-made micro-class 52kg satellite that was to orbit the Earth at altitudes between 250km and 310km; reportedly it had a spatial resolution of 10 meters.

Iran’s bid last month to put into orbit the Payam1 satellite failed when the launching rocket did not reach adequate speed in the third stage.

Payam1 (message in Persian), a micro-class 100kg non-military satellite was to orbit about 500-600 km above the Earth's surface and undertake imagery and telecom tasks.

The minister spoke of the country’s future satellite launch plans and said communication satellite Nahid1 is slated for launch in May. 

The satellite is ready and will be delivered to the Defense Ministry for launch, he said. The Nahid1 is to orbit the Earth at an altitude of 250 km. Satellite Pars1 will be ready by early 2020.

Iranian scientists are working on a satellite named Zafar, which Jahromi earlier said should be ready for launch by September.

Another satellite is being developed by the ISRC named Nahid2 for communication use.