This video grab taken and released on Aug 9, 2022, by the Russian Space Agency Roscosmos shows the Soyuz-2.1b rocket carrying the Khayyam satellite blasting off from a launchpad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome. (RUSSIAN SPACE AGENCY ROSCOSMOS / AFP)
TEHRAN – Iran and Russia on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to expand space industry cooperation, official news agency IRNA reported.
The MoU was signed between the Iranian Space Agency (ISA) and Russia's state space corporation Roscosmos on the sidelines of the 11th Iran International Airshow and Aerospace Exhibition in the southern island of Kish.
In August, Iran's Khayyam satellite was successfully launched into space from the Baikonur space station in Kazakhstan by Russia's Soyuz satellite carrier rocket
In an address at the signing ceremony, ISA President Hassan Salarieh said the MoU covers a broad spectrum of collaborations between the two sides, including manufacturing remote-sensing and telecommunication satellites and developing related infrastructures.
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He expressed hope that the MoU would help Iran accelerate the development of its space industry.
For his part, Roscosmos Director Yuriy Borisov said Iran is not a new partner for Russia as their space cooperation started in 2002.
In August, Iran's Khayyam satellite was successfully launched into space from the Baikonur space station in Kazakhstan by Russia's Soyuz satellite carrier rocket.