\n Iran is planning to launch Tolou 3 satellite on December 28 from Russia\u2019s Vostochny Cosmodrome.
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Iran is planning to launch\u00a0its heaviest ever satellite into low Earth orbit in late December, as part of efforts to expand the country\u2019s operational space missions.<\/strong><\/p>\n Local media reports published on Monday said the Iranian-made Paya satellite, also known as Tolou 3, will be launched from Russia\u2019s Vostochny Cosmodrome on December 28.<\/p>\n According to the reports, the launch will mark Iran\u2019s first operational use of a mini-satellite weighing about 150 kilograms, a class of spacecraft that would allow the country to expand the scope of its space missions.<\/p>\n They said the Paya satellite is designed to provide imaging with a resolution of about 10-20 meters per pixel and can be used for natural resource management, environmental monitoring, agriculture, and data-driven scientific and practical applications.<\/p>\n The head of the aerospace division of Iran Electronics Industries, a subsidiary of the Iranian Defense Ministry that designed and manufactured the satellite, told state television that the successful launch of the Paya mission could mark a turning point in Iran\u2019s space activities.<\/p>\n Moharram Ghiasvand said the satellite will transmit images in far greater volumes, with a data-downlink rate up to ten times higher than that of Iran\u2019s previous satellites.<\/p>\n Ghiasvand added that the satellite is equipped with two imaging sensors capable of capturing black-and-white and color images. He said its spatial resolution is five meters, which can be enhanced to three meters using artificial intelligence algorithms, marking the first time Iran could achieve\u00a0sub-five-meter resolution in low Earth orbit.<\/p>\n Reports also said the planned launch from Vostochny in late December will include two other Iranian satellites placed into low Earth orbit.<\/p>\n These include Zafar-2, which is intended for Earth-observation missions, and Kowsar 1.5, which will be used primarily for agriculture monitoring and related applications.<\/p>\n Press TV\u2019s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:<\/p>\n