Mohsen Bahrami told Mehr News that the Small Student Satellite Project (SSS Project) includes the development of a ‘microsatellite’ and a ‘CubeSat’ satellite, adding “we are in charge of parts of these two satellite projects. For the ‘micro’ one, the draft of the agreement has been signed with China’s Beihang University.”

According to him, parts of the APSCO SSS project will be handed over to Iranian universities.
The microsatellite project comprises a constellation of 11 satellites, and Iran is making plans to have one of its own satellites to be included in the constellation, he added.

Bahrami maintained that the CubeSat is a smaller constellation, adding that Iran has signed the draft of the agreement and finalized the date of its implementation.

“These projects have been decided to become operational within the next three years,” he added.

According to Bahrami, the SSS project will be jointly implemented by Iran, China, Pakistan, Turkey, Mongolia, Peru, Thailand and Bangladesh as APSO member states.

“The SSS will be used for missions including earth imaging, air and sea traffic control, formation flying, and intersatellite links (ISLs),” Bahrami said. “The construction of the S communication band and an optical subsystem for the microsatellite will be handed over to Iranian universities.”

/SR