Russia launched 55 satellites into orbit on Tuesday, including two privately built Iranian devices, in a demonstration of deepening cooperation between Moscow and Tehran.
A Soyuz rocket lifted off from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia's Far East at 2:18 a.m. Moscow time, carrying the payload, Russia's Roscosmos space agency reported.
In total, Roscosmos said the mission placed 51 Russian satellites, one Russian-Chinese device, a Russian-Zimbabwean satellite and two Iranian satellites into orbit. It described the launch as a “record number of Russian satellites simultaneously put into orbit.”
The Iranian imaging and communications satellites, Koswar and Hodhod, were designed and built by Iran’s Omid Faza Company to support environmental monitoring and provide communications for remote areas. Tehran said it was the first time Russia launched privately built Iranian satellites.
Russia and Iran have strengthened political, economic and military ties amid the war in Ukraine and ongoing conflict in the Middle East, raising concerns in Western capitals.
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