Iran Launches Domestically Developed Satellite Carrier for 2nd Time

Iran on Sunday launched, for the second time, a domestically developed rocket capable of carrying a satellite into space, the state-run Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting news agency reported, citing Defense Ministry spokesman Ahmad Hosseini. The Zuljanah satellite carrier, a three-stage rocket that uses both solid and liquid fuel engines, could compete with “most modern foreign counterparts,” Hosseini said. On June 19, Hosseini said the Zuljanah would be able to put “payloads weighing up to 220 kilograms [490 pounds] into orbit at an altitude of 500 kilometers.” The Zuljanah is 25.5 meters in length, weighs about 52 tons, and uses a solid-fuel engine that measures 1.5 meters in diameter and provides 74 tons of thrust. It was first launched into space in February 2021. A third development phase of the rocket has started and a third launch has been planned, the ministry spokesman said.