Azerbaijan, Baku, Jun.9/ Trend F.Karimov/
Iran inaugurated its first space survey and monitoring base with the goal of boosting security of Iranian space systems and surveying satellites which are passing over Iran, IRNA reported.
The base was launched officially in a ceremony which was attended by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
The base will help manage the traffic of satellites and share spatial information with other countries, said Iran Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi on the inauguration ceremony.
Iran will launch its own communications satellite into space in 5 years, head of country's Space Agency, Hamid Fazeli said, IRIB News reported.
Iran plans to use its own satellite to translate local channels, as formerly it was doing so through other broadcasting satellites, as Eutelsat SA and Intelsat SA.
Eutelsat SA and Intelsat SA stopped the broadcast of several Iranian satellite channels last year, citing pressure by the European Union.
Hamid Fazeli said that Iran plans to send "IranSat" into space via three stages. First one of which would be sending "IranSat 1" into space in two years, then "IranSat 2" will be sent in 1,5 years after that.
Fazeli noted that satellite's manufacturing and design cost $70 million, launching of the satellites - $30 million, plus additional $40 million for transferring function blocks.
Iran launched its first satellite, called the Omid (Hope), in February 2009. The Rasad (Observation) satellite was also sent into orbit in June 2011.
In February, 2012, Iran successfully put its third domestically manufactured satellite, named the Navid (Promise), into orbit. On February 8, 2012, Iran received the first image sent by the Navid satellite.
As part of its space program, Iran also plans to launch the Fajr (Dawn) satellite in the near future.
The Fajr, which is a reconnaissance satellite powered by solar energy, will be Iran's first new-generation satellite to be sent into space.