Iran Prepares to Launch First Radar Satellite “Rad 1”

TEHRAN (ANA)- Iran’s space agency is set to unveil its inaugural radar satellite, Rad 1, equipped with advanced synthetic aperture radar technology capable of capturing images with a resolution finer than 50 meters, officials say.

News ID : 10614

Hassan Salariyeh, head of the Iran Space Agency, confirmed in an interview with Tasnim News Agency that the country is developing radar satellites in two series: Rad 1 and Rad 2. “We are designing and building radar satellites in two families, Rad 1 and Rad 2,” Salariyeh said, describing Rad 1 as a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite with a resolution exceeding 50 meters.

The satellite is currently in its final assembly stage and is expected to be officially unveiled soon. Salariyeh also shared details about Rad 2, noting that this next-generation radar satellite will offer imaging precision of better than 20 meters. “The development of Rad 2 is underway at the Iranian Space Research Institute, and its unveiling is planned for the coming years,” he added.

Highlighting the advantages of radar satellite technology, Salariyeh explained that these satellites can operate beyond the visible spectrum, including X-band and other wavelengths. This capability allows Rad 1 and future satellites to capture images regardless of weather conditions, dust, cloud cover, or snow, significantly enhancing Iran’s satellite imaging capacity.