on
Space
Science and Technology Applications
Committee
of the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS)
of the
Office
for Outer Space Affairs (OOSA)
October 2001
Iran is a wide country in a strategic and important
region in the world, with a variety of natural resources, environment, climate,
culture and people. For well-managing the country and using its sources and
potentials for improvement and sustainable development the authorities pay
great attention to the use of efficient, modern and economic tools to support
their plans for the above mentioned purposes.
It has long been realized that the space science
and technology applications play a significant role in promotion of the
sustainable development of the country. Since
nearly a decade earlier the Islamic Republic of Iran (I. R. of Iran) has
accelerated its efforts and is taking steps towards the application of space
science and technology to benefit from extensive and wide advantages of
peaceful uses of outer space in its on-going long-term and short-term
development plans.
1)
Commercialization and
broadcasting, Earth observations, environmental change observations, climate
prediction, survey and mapping, etc.;
2)
Human resource
development for implementation of space development in the future;
3)
Acquisition and
mastery of space science and technology directed to support the development of
space applications and industrial activities;
4)
Encouragement of
space activities in the private sector in order to familiarize the public with
space activities and integrate them into daily life;
5)
Promotion of space
science and technology among the Iranian youth that will play a key role in the
future of the country.
6)
Establishment of a
space information system at the national level;
7)
Promotion of
international cooperation based on principles of mutual benefits and
reciprocity.
There are various institutes
and agencies in the Islamic Republic of Iran that are currently carrying out
space activities according to their functions and areas of interest.
To build capacity required to develop and extend
its activities in different areas of peaceful uses of space, including
satellite communication, resource investigation and satellite-based positioning
system, satellite meteorology and natural disaster monitoring, space science
and technology I. R. Iran is currently taking required measures not only to
provide required facilities, hardware and software but also is extending its
educational activities using both national resources and through implementation
of bilateral regional or international cooperation projects.
Presently there are more than seven universities
who are holding post-graduate courses or degree programs in space remote
sensing and geographic information systems.
In addition to these universities, there are other administrative bodies
such as National Cartographic Center, Iranian Remote Sensing Center (IRSC),
Soil Conservation and Watershed Management Research Center that are providing
discipline oriented or special courses on new space technologies.
To further their existing knowledge and being
updated in their own fields of interests, Iranian specialists are regularly
participating in short-term and long-term courses supported by ESCAP or offered
by other regional or international bodies such as CSSTE, ISNET and JICA.
Attending different seminars, symposia, conferences and workshops is also
playing an important role to promote existing expertise of Iranian scientists.
The World Space Week ceremonies that was held for
the second time early this October, is another basic step for capacity building
for space science and technology applications in the country.
The background of the
involvement in the area of application of space remote sensing techniques and
utilization of data acquired by earth observation satellites in the country
reaches to the launch of first commercial earth observing satellites (Landsat
series).
Nowadays the earth resources monitoring
and management agencies not only are using almost any available data taken by
various earth resources satellites, but also equipped with the most advanced
facilities available for analysis and their respective integration through the
use of geographic information systems.
Main agencies involved in
earth resources remote sensing activities include Iranian Remote Sensing Center
(which is acting as the national coordinating body), Geological and Mineral
Research Survey of Iran affiliated to the Ministry of Mines and Metals, Forest
and Range Organization, Soil Conservation and Watershed Management Research
Center, Ministry of Jihad of Agriculture, Iranian National Center for
Oceanography, Ministry of Energy and Ministry of Petroleum, and Ministry of Science,
Research and Technology.
To expand its capabilities
and making it compatible with increasing demand to newly acquired remotely
sensed data from space, I. R. Iran had decided to establish a Multi-Mission
Remote Sensing Ground Station of having both S and X band frequencies, capable
of receiving data acquired by existing and future satellites. In this
connection, the receiving station for data acquisition from TERRA’s medium
resolution MODIS sensor was put in service early this October in the IRSC.
In addition to activities
mentioned above, the National Cartographic Center (NCC), a national body
responsible for topographic base maps and data productions, is using Global
Positioning System (GPS) basically designed for navigation purposes for the projects
including Triangulation Networking and National Leveling Project and its
subsequent linkage with regional and international GPS networks, National
1:25000 scale Topographic Mapping Project, Geodesic Surveying projects,
Accurate Leveling projects, Determination of Geoid of Iran.
Besides to NCC, National
Geographical Organization of Iran is also enjoying invaluable archives of
various satellite imagery, which has enabled it to offer technical services to
other administrative bodies of the country.
SATELLITE
METEOROLOGY AND NATURAL DISASTER MONITORINS
The weather satellite
receiving system PC/SAT for Meteosat SDUS and PDUS and NOAA APT was installed
at I. R. Iran Meteorological Organization (IRIMO) headquarters early 1992. The
major highlight in operational changes is that IRIMO expanded the receiving
station by HRPT and MDD units by 1998.
Data taken by meteorological
satellites are used by IRIMO’s forecasting center not only for weather
forecasting purposes but also for atmospheric disaster mitigation objectives.
NOAA receiving facilities is
also installed in the Iranian National Oceanographic Center and IRSC as well.
While AVHRR data received by the IRSC’s acquisition system are used for earth
resources monitoring and studies, and dissemination of the results and
documents in public domain, data received by two other specialized agencies are
used for their own studies and research projects.
In addition to atmospheric
disasters, the National Committee on Natural Disaster Reduction within the
framework of a joint research project is using the space-based positioning
systems to monitor plate movements along major active faults in Khorasan
Province (North Eastern Iran) and Tehran Region having historical and recent
earthquake records and reactivation potentials. This project is carrying out
through a trilateral effort including the Geological and Mineral exploration
Survey of Iran and the NCC.
The
telecommunication network in Iran is essentially based on a microwave backbone
with reasonable coverage in the well-populated provinces. The total number of
operating telephone Lines is now about 7 million lines (penetration of some 14
lines per 100 population). There are about 300.000 cellular mobile phone
subscribers a capacity of 12,000 ports in the data network and more than 75,000
public payphones throughout the country. International communication is mainly
handled through the Intelsat and Inmarsat satellite networks by more than 3,500
channels via three international gateway earth stations.
The
national Domsat system was put in work in 1990 by implementing phase 1 that
consisted of 7 hubs and 61 terminals configured in 7 star sub- networks. The
technology employed therein was SCPC/QPSK/FDMA through transponders of the Ku-band
east spot of Intelsat 630 E satellite. The earth
segment was later augmented by the installation of two star networks comprising
two hubs and 900 VSAT terminals accessing the same satellite by the TDMA
technique. In addition, a separate nationwide network consisting of two hubs
and some 1,700 VSATs owned and operated by the Central Bank of Iran is now in
service.
Recently, a tender has been issued by the
Telecommunication Company of Iran (TCI) for the acquisition of 9 gateway hubs
and 300 DAMA earth stations using the TDMA access technique, all in the 14/11
GHz band.
This
expansion is intended for use to improve rural and remote area communications
and also to satisfy the need for applications such as data transfer,
multi-point-to-point, point-to–point, short term and emergency communication
services and Internet links. TCL believes that satellite communication is
suitable solution for the rural points that are far from terrestrial links or
facing to barriers or the technical problems. In this regard TCI is planning to
provide communication service for 2000 rural points and 500 private users with
satellite communications systems in near future.
In
addition, TCI is considering the plans to provide Telemedicine and
Tele-Education services for the points that are not in fast access to the
central hospital and universities.
Presently there are 3 Internet service providers
in the country each having a satellite link to the WIT site in Washington
through Europe.
During
the last year TCI has also announced a tender for the construction and launch
of two Ku-band GSO satellites to be placed 340 E and
470 E. The satellites are named ‘Zohreh’ and are intended to take
over the domestic traffic presently handled by the Intelsat satellite.
Iran has one Inmarsat Coast Earth Station near
Tehran that provides services to a fleet of ship and land portable terminals of
standard A, C. Also, TCI has recently signed an agreement with the ICO
organization, an offspring of Inmarsat, to invest and provide mobile satellite
service in the region. Also, studies are ongoing to investigate the
possibilities of joining various big LEO systems such as Globalstar and future
GMPCS networks.
The
Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting Organization (IRIB) has implemented many
expansion projects making effective of three 72 MHz Ku-band transponders on the
630 E Intelsat satellite. Four national TV channels are now
broadcaster nationwide making use of 2,600 TVRO terminals, thus rendering
almost complete national TV coverage.
Also,
IRIB has recently launched a Ku-band TV broadcast over Europe and the Middle
East via the Eutelsat satellite. In addition, IRIB owns two C-band earth
stations relaying news items to Asiavision and also internationally through
Intelsat. Two transportable earth stations are also available for SNG
transmission from any point around the country and neighboring countries.
IRIB
owns 31 VSAT earth stations for its private communication purposes. Also, IRIB
is now making extensive studies for the transformation from analog sound and
television to digital transmission via satellite.
I. R. Iran Broadcasting
(IRIB) has already been using different facilities in order to broadcast and
receive internal and external programs. These activities include the use of
INTELSAT, EUTELSAT HOTBIRD-3 and TELESTAR-5 through the utilization of 4 fixed
stations and 3 Portable SNGs.
As a member of the
Asia-Pacific Committee on Multilateral Cooperation in Space Technology and
Applications, I. R. Iran is one of the seven countries besides Pakistan, China,
Thailand, Mongolia, Republic of Korea and Bangladesh who have agreed to
participate in manufacturing and launching of a Small Multi-Mission Satellite
(SMMS). The project goes on with good cooperation and understanding between
main partners, China, Thailand and I. R. Iran.
In another attempt the
Ministry of Science, Research and Technology in cooperation with the Ministry
of P.T.T. fostering the educational and technological development take
fundamental steps toward space technology especially in the field of satellite
design and manufacturing. To meet this goal, a small research satellite project
entitled ”MESBAH” was defined for
design and development purpose as of a micro-satellite to be placed in low
Earth Orbit (LEO). The main task of this project is to train Iranian
specialists and to support Iranian research centers and universities with
satellite manufacturing technologies. Objectives of this project includes (1)
designing and developing a micro-satellite in amateur radio frequency band to
be deployed to LEO with the aim of research, e-mail and store and forward data
communication, (2) scientific research works and training task to gain
experience and possibility on developing communication satellite system of
store and forward type.
Technological goals involved
in these areas include hardware establishment, definition of steps required for
space research, improvement of domestic industries for space activities, and
familiarization with remote sensing, earth observation and related
technologies.
Explorations in outer
atmosphere is another basic activity of space related sciences within the
country. In this regard, ISRI planned to develop a variety of sounding rockets
of low, medium and high altitude capability. Ionosphere studies, upper
atmospheric winds, micro-gravity, atmospheric composition, and atmospheric
structure (pressure, density, etc.) are selected topics for further
investigation and to meet objectives, which was defined above.
In this respect, I. R. Iran’s
industries have also been encouraged to implement technological development
plans for aerospace related technologies and subsystems which can be applied to
space systems as well.
Another active organization in the space science and
technology applications is the Aerospace
Research Institute (ARI) affiliated to the Ministry
of Science, Research and Technology that follows different space related
studies and activities. The Aerodynamic group of ARI concentrates
presently on the aerodynamic design and analysis of launch vehicles. Group is
capable of estimating the aerodynamic coefficients and determination of flow
pattern around launch vehicles with various levels of accuracy required in
different phases of design process. Planning and conducting wind tunnel tests
for validation of analytical and numerical results is also among the
capabilities of the group. The Sounding Rocket Group works on sub-orbital
rockets called sounding rocket and their payloads. It has carried out several
studies in the field of sounding rocket’s capabilities and applications, their
payload and the experiment conducted by them and other related subject. The
group is capable of planning sounding rocket experiments, as well as selecting
and/or designing the required payload and equipment.
Due to the effects of the
humankind’s aerospace activities on the environmental health of the Earth, the
subject of the space debris in recent decade emerges as serious threatening
problem for the survival of orbiting spacecrafts, space platforms and the
astronauts operating space walks in the near-earth orbits. In this regard the
orbital debris team of ARI as a part of Space Standards and Law research group
is working on a variety of subjects as categorization, characteristics,
tracking and laws of orbital debris. Mathematical simulation and collision
probability functions and hazard analysis are the prospective topics of the
group’s studies.
The Galactic Dynamics and Celestial Mechanics
Group as a part of space Science and Technology group that prepares the dynamic
model of galaxies and models quantitatively and qualitatively. The data and
solutions then compared with observational information for validation purpose.
Aiming to present its
willingness for worldwide and regional collaboration and to fulfill its
obligations to international and regional bodies, I. R. Iran not only acts as
the member of several international agencies (such as ITU, WMO, FAO and other
UN affiliated bodies and programs) but also has a very close cooperation with
RESAP of ESCAP. In addition to these activities, I. R. Iran is an active member
of the Asia-Pacific Committee on Multilateral Cooperation in Space Technology
and Application (AP-MCSTA) and many other regional and international societies,
institutions and projects.
I.R. Iran also emphasizes on
its willingness to join the network of Centers for Space Science and Technology
Education in Asia and the Pacific and establish a similar node in the county.
Furthermore, I. R. Iran
presently participates in the different working groups that are being organized
following the recommendations of the UNISPACE III.