TEHRAN – Early on Thursday, Iran successfully put into orbit Pars 1 research-sensing satellite upon a Soyuz rocket from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia's far eastern Amur region.

Equipped with three cameras, the 134-kilogram satellite will scan Iran's topography from an orbit of 500 kilometers above the Earth's surface.

According to Euronews, Russia's state-run Roscosmos corporation said that a Soyuz rocket blasted off from the Vostochny Cosmodrome launch facility in the country's far east to carry the Iranian satellite and 18 Russian satellites into orbit.

The satellite has three cameras to take images for environmental, agricultural and other purposes.

The satellite will be put into orbit around the North and South Poles, synchronized to be in the same fixed position relative to the Sun, and will be fully functional after a calibration of its systems.

Elaborating on the national space program, Communications and Information Technology Minister of Issa Zarepour told a TV program that that Iran has launched 12 satellites into space over the past 25 months.

“The country's space industry is rapidly advancing forward … upgrading its place,” Press TV quoted Zarepour as saying.

Additionally, the minister said Iran is constructing West Asia’s largest launch base in the country’s south.

Last month, Iran simultaneously put into orbit the Mahda research satellite, as well as the Keyhan-2 and Hatef-1 nanosatellites using the Simorgh (Phoenix) carrier.

In the same month, the Aerospace Force of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) launched Soraya satellite into orbit using Qaem 100 satellite carrier.

Despite Western sanctions on Iran in recent years, the country has taken giant strides in the civilian space program.

Iran is among the world’s top 10 countries capable of developing and launching satellites.