Roscosmos will launch the Khayyam "remote earth probing spacecraft" atop its Soyuz 2.1 rocket for the Islamic Republic of Iran. The rocket will be equipped with a Fregat upper stage and liftoff from the Baikonur Cosmodrome.

The mission will also launch 16 smallsats designed by university programs, private companies, and non-profits:

CubeSX-HSE-2

Monitor-1

UTMN

CYCLOPS

Siren

KAI-1

Kuzbass-300

Skoltech-B1

Skoltech-B2

Polytech Universe-1

Polytech Universe-2

Vizard

Geoscan-Edelweis

MIET-AIS

ISOI

ReshUCube

"Russian spacecraft is designed for scientific and technological research, including the development of inter-satellite communications channels, measurement of electromagnetic radiation, remote earth probing and monitoring of the ecological situation," Roscosmos said.

According to the Islamic Republic News Agency, the Khayyam satellite will be "improving productivity in the field of agriculture, careful monitoring of the country's water resources, natural hazard management... dealing with deforestation, monitoring mines and mineral discoveries."

Iran previously launched three satellites into space:

- The Sina-1 was built and launched in 2005 by Russia,

- The Nour-1 and the Nour-2 were launched by the IRGC in April 2020 and March 2022

According to The Washington Post, Khayyam will be used by Russia to monitor troop movements in Ukraine and claims "The pending launch is the latest indicator of increased military and political cooperation between Moscow and Tehran."

Excerpt below:

"Russia’s Roscosmos space agency announced an Aug. 9 launch date for the satellite, dubbed “Khayyam” after a 12th-century Persian mathematician, in fulfillment of a deal negotiated with Iran over nearly four years. Russia agreed to build and launch the Kanopus-V system, which will include a high-resolution camera that would give Tehran unprecedented capabilities, including near-continuous monitoring of sensitive facilities in Israel and the Persian Gulf.

But Iran may not be able to take control of the satellite right away. Russia, which has struggled to achieve its military objectives in its five-month-old assault on Ukraine, has told Tehran that it plans to use the satellite for several months, or longer, to enhance its surveillance of military targets in that conflict, the two officials said on the condition of anonymity, citing sensitivities surrounding intelligence collection.

The Soyuz 2.1a/Fregat-M rocket as it is known to Roscosmos, the Russian federal space agency, is also called the Soyuz ST-A when used by Arianespace for European launches.

It is built by the Progress Rocket Space Centre (TsSKB-Progress) under the jurisdiction of Roscosmos.

The Soyuz 2.1a/Fregat-M provides medium-lift capability.

It can be launched from all three Roscosmos launch sites: the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in western Russia, and the Vostochny Cosmodrome in eastern Russia.

For Arianespace, it is primarily launched from Guiana Space Centre in South America, making it the only -- at present -- rocket to launch from more than one continent.

Image credit: CC "Yuzhny" / TSENKI / Roscosmos

Site 31/6 – Baikonur Cosmodrome

Site 31/6 has been an active launch pad at Baikonur Cosmodrome since January 14, 1961. Over its long history, it has supported launches of numerous Soviet and Russian rockets, including the R-7A, Vostok, Voskhod, Polyot, Molniya, and earlier versions of the Soyuz family. Originally constructed as a backup to Site 1/5 (Gagarin's Start), it has become a crucial launch facility, especially for uncrewed satellite and robotic missions.

Currently, Site 31/6 is used exclusively for launching the Soyuz-2 rocket family, including Soyuz-2.1a, Soyuz-2.1b, and Soyuz-2.1v. As Russia transitioned from the Soyuz-FG rocket to the digital flight-controlled Soyuz-2.1a, the pad began supporting crewed Soyuz MS missions to the International Space Station (ISS) in April 2020, ensuring continued access to orbit for Russian and international astronauts.

Baikonur Cosmodrome

Located in southern Kazakhstan, Baikonur Cosmodrome is the world’s first and largest operational spaceport. It is historically significant as the launch site of Sputnik 1, the world’s first artificial satellite, in 1957, and Yuri Gagarin’s pioneering human spaceflight on April 12, 1961.

Initially constructed as the primary launch base of the Soviet Union, Baikonur remained a key spaceflight center after the USSR’s dissolution. In 1994, the newly independent Kazakhstan leased Baikonur to Russia under a long-term agreement, currently extended until 2050. The site continues to host a wide range of missions, from crewed spaceflights to interplanetary probes.

Baikonur is jointly operated by Roscosmos, the Russian federal space agency, and the Russian Aerospace Forces, the military branch responsible for space operations. While Russia is shifting some launches to its newer Vostochny Cosmodrome, Baikonur remains the primary launch site for Soyuz human spaceflight missions and numerous commercial and government payloads.

Image courtesy of GK Launch Services / Roscosmos