It seems like the nuclear deal has opened a lot of opportunities for Iran. Now Tehran has signed a cooperation agreement with Russia to build its own remote-sensing satellite systems. Iran’s Tasnim News reports that two Russian companies have signed a deal with an Iranian firm to develop a satellite observation system for Tehran.
The remote-sensing system will be based on Kanopus-V1
Satellite observation systems can be used to gather information about the Earth’s atmosphere, surface, and oceans. Under the terms of the deal, NPK BARL of Russia will build the ground infrastructure, while another Russian firm VNIIEM will be responsible for building and launching the satellites. Bonyan Danesh Shargh of Iran will operate the observation system.
VNIIEM Corporation CEO Leonid Makridenko said the remote-sensing system would be based on an upgraded version of the Kanopus-V1 observation satellite of Russia. The launch is scheduled for 2018 aboard a Soyuz carrier rocket. The deal was inked in the presence of Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Dmitry Rogozin.
Russia, Iran to boost cooperation in shipbuilding, aviation
It’s not the first instance of scientific cooperation between Tehran and Moscow. Russia had helped Iran build the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant. At the XII International Aviation and Space Salon MAKS-2015 in the Russian city of Zhukovsky, the two countries also agreed to boost cooperation in aviation and shipbuilding. What’s more, Russia plans to supply commercial airplanes to Iran in the future.
Meanwhile, Russia and Iran are close to finalizing a deal for the sale of S-300 anti-aircraft missile systems to Tehran. The final agreement could be signed at the ongoing MAKS-2015 event in Russia. Soon after world powers reached a nuclear deal with Iran, Moscow lifted the ban on the potential sale of the advanced surface-to-air missile systems to Tehran. Iran has increased the deal size from three to four systems. Last week, Iranian defense minister Hossein Dehghan said the text of the final contract was ready.
