Mesbah-2

Iranian civilian store-dump communications satellite. One launch, 2005.10.27, Sinah-1. Prototype of a store-forward communications system satellite for survivable communications. To be launched by a foreign launch vehicle, originally slated for 2005.

In September 2002 it was announced that Iran was cooperating with China, Mongolia, Pakistan, and Thailand in building a multipurpose satellite that would be launched by 2005. Equipment for the satellite was being built by Iran's Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics and by the Ministry of Post, Telegraph, and Telephone. Supervising the project were the Ministries of Science, Research and Technology and of Post, Telegraph and Telephone. The low earth orbit micro-satellite was to operate in the amateur radio frequency band and provide store and forward e-mail and data communications services. It would also allow Iran to gain the experience necessary to develop a survivable store-and-forward communications satellite system.