Iran Simultaneously Launches 3 Satellites Into Space for First Time

TEHRAN (Sputnik) - Iran has simultaneously launched three satellites, Mahda, Kayhan 2 and Hatef 1, into space for the first time ever to mark the upcoming 45th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution, the Iranian government said on Sunday.

"In anticipation of … the 45th anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution, three Iranian satellites were successfully launched into space for the first time [at the same time] using the Simorgh [Phoenix] launch vehicle," the government said in a statement.

The 70-pound lightweight Mahda satellite was designed to test advanced satellite subsystems, according to the statement. The Kayhan 2 "nanosatellite," consisting of a series of smaller cubic satellites weighing less than 22 pounds, was built to test space-based positioning technology, providing positioning capabilities independent of the global GPS. The cubic nanosatellite Hatef 1 was created to test narrowband telecommunications technology using the Internet of Things.

In November, Iranian authorities said that five new satellites were planned to be launched into space before the end of the Iranian calendar year, which is on March 20.