TEHRAN – Iran will launch Rasad 1 satellite (Observation 1) before the end of the current Iranian calendar year (starting March 21), Communications and Information Technology Minister Reza Taqipour said on Wednesday.

Rasad 1 was scheduled to be launched into space on the back of a domestic carrier during the period marking the government week (last week of August), but its launch was delayed until the second half of the year.
According to Iranian officials, domestically-manufactured Rasad 1 provides weather forecasts and will beam high resolution satellite imagery back to Iran.
Iran launched its first home-made satellite Omid in February 2009, which coincided with the 30th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic revolution