on
Space
Science and Technology Applications
Committee
of the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS)
of the
Office
for Outer Space Affairs (OOSA)
November 2002
With a variety of natural resources, wide area,
environment, climate, culture and people, the Islamic Republic of Iran is a
country situated in a strategic and critical region in the world. 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 been realized since long ago that the space
technology applications play an important role in promotion of the sustainable
development of the country. Nearly a decade
earlier the Islamic Republic of Iran (I. R. of Iran) has began to accelerate its
efforts and is taking steps towards the peacful application of space
technologies to benefit from extensive and wide advantages of space in its
on-going long-term and short-term development plans. Presently telecommunications,
TV broadcasting, remote sensing, navigation, tele-education, weather
forecasting, Internet and so on are common applications of space technology
that have been well spread in I. R. Iran.
INISTITUTIONALIZATION OF SPACE ACTIVITIES IN I. R. IRAN
Institutionalizing the space activities in the
Islamic Republic of Iran is considered as a vital necessity. The Iranian Remote
Sensing Center affiliated to the Ministry of Telecommunications and Information
Technology in cooperation with the other related bodies commits to establish
the Iranian Space Agency. Presently the issues concerning the parliamentary
approvals are going on successfully and promisingly. By the establishment of
the Iranian Space Agency all the space related activities in the Islamic
Republic of Iran would be covered by this organization.
1)
Commercialization of
space applications such as 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 I. R. 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 presenting 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 interest, 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 third time from 4 to 10 October this year, 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 goes
back to the launch of 1st 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 the Iranian Remote Sensing
Center (which is national coordinating body for Earth observation activities in
I. R. Iran), 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, 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, Irania Remote Sensing Center of 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 in October 2001
in the IRSC. Since September 2002 the station was made capable of receiving
from Indian IRS satllite.
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 has been
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 the Iranian
Remote Sensing Center as well. While AVHRR data received by the IRSC’s
acquisition system are used for earth resources monitoring and studies as well
as 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 joint endeover including the Geological and Mineral
Exploration Survey of Iran and the NCC.
An increasing and promising attention is given to the application of space technologies in recent decade in Iran. I. R.
Iran entered the space applications era in 1969
through establishing Asad Abad Ground Station by installing a 30m-diameter
standard A antenna to connect to the pacific Intelsat for international
communications.
The telecommunication network in Iran is
essentially based on a microwave backbone with reasonable coverage in the
well-populated provinces. In general, there are three communications networks in Iran with more than 1000
ground stations providing voice and data services to the users. The number of fixed communication lines
from 10,000,000 in year 2000 will grow to 12,000,000 in 2003. This means that 1 of 5 the Iranian
population will own a phone line thanks to the availability of space
communication technology in I. R. Iran.
There are about 300.000 cellular mobile phone subscribers with a capacity of
12,000 ports in the data network and more than 75,000 public payphones
throughout the country. International communications 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. It is believed that satellite communications is
suitable solution for the rural points that are far from terrestrial links or
facing barriers or 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.
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. In addition, TCI has signed an agreement with the ICO
organization, an offspring of Inmarsat, to invest and provide mobile satellite
service in the region. Furthermore, 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.
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 towards 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 launched to a 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, a variety of sounding rockets of low, medium and high
altitude capability has planned to be developed. 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.
The Aerospace
Research Institute (ARI) affiliated to the Ministry
of Science, Research and Technology is another active organization in the space
science and technology applications
that follows different space related studies and activities in I. R.
Iran. The Aerodynamic group of ARI concentrates presently on the
aerodynamic design and analysis of launch vehicles. The 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 study programs
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 the 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, 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 emphasizing 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,
actively commites to establish a center for space science and technology
applications in Iran to realize the idea of node of networks for Space Science
and Technology Education Centers.
Furthermore, I. R. Iran
presently participates in the different action teams that are being organized
following the Recommendations of the UNISPACE III. In this connection I. R.
Iran contributes jointly with the Republic of Syria as the chair for the Action
Team 1 of the Recommendations of the UNISPACE III, “Develop a Worldwide
Environmental Monitoring Strategy”.