Context: A number of Iranian military Earth-imaging CubeSats are part of the Noor satellite program, which has drawn attention from throughout the world and prompted discussions about its implications for satellite technology and regional security.
Prominent Satellites
Notable satellites in this program are Noor-1, Noor-2, and Noor-3 (Najm), each with special features and capabilities.
The low-Earth orbits in which Noor satellites go around the planet take them around 90 minutes to complete.
Accomplishments and Satellite Information
Noor-1
Iran launched Noor-1, its first military satellite, on April 22, 2020. Ran for a duration of nine days, eleven months, and a year.
Included a phrase from the Quran and images of Qassem Soleimani.
Noor-2.
Set in motion on March 8, 2022, gives the IRGC low-resolution overhead imagery, has a resolution of between 12 and 15 meters.
Noor-3
Launched on September 27, 2023, equipped with cutting-edge features.
Superior resolution to Noor-2 (6 to 4.8 meters).
Quick stabilization and improvements to operations.
Goals
- The goal of the Noor program is to create and launch Iranian military Earth-imaging CubeSats in order to collect data on the surface of the planet and offer useful intelligence.
Importance - Unlike earlier Iranian space programs, the Noor program is headed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), marking a change.