Iran to unveil new satellite in February: minister

TEHRAN, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Minister of Communication and Information Technology Reza Taghipour announced Wednesday that his country will unveil some aero-space, communication and IT projects in February including a satellite, the semi-official ISNA news agency reported.

"In the sector of communication, IT and space, we have prepared several projects which will be announced and unveiled in the presence of the president in Ten-Day Dawn celebrations," Taghipour was quoted as saying.

The Ten-Day Dawn celebrations, which extends from Feb. 1 to Feb.11, marks the victory of the Islamic Revolution in Iran in 1979.

"In the space sector, one of the projects (to be unveiled) is Student Satellite," he added without elaborating on the details.

On Wednesday, Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announced in Turkmenistan that Iran will unveil several hi-tech home-made satellites in February and the new satellites can orbit the Earth at higher altitudes.

"These satellites which can be sent to high altitudes will be launched into the space next year," the local Fars news agency reported.

In February 2009, Tehran launched its first Omid telecommunications satellite, its first home-made satellite, successfully into space by the Iranian-produced satellite carrier Safir 2.