"We expect to be able to launch Sharifsat by the end of this (Iranian) year (ends on March 20) because the satellite will be delivered to us by Esfand (February 19 - March 20)," Fazeli told FNA on Monday, adding that the infrastructure needed for the satellite has already been prepared.
Tehran's Sharif University is working to build Sharifsat.
As regards the student satellite which has been built by Amirkabir University, Fazeli said it is heavier than that of Sharif University, adding that Iran will orbit the satellite in the first half of the next Iranian year.
Fazeli noted that the student satellites are used for monitoring natural disasters, including floods and earthquakes, environment protection, medical training and educational purposes.
Earlier this month, Iran unveiled the prototype models of Zohreh and Nahid telecommunications satellites on Monday.
The prototype models were unveiled during a ceremony attended by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi and Head of Iran's Space Agency Ahmad Fazeli at an exhibition on Iran's latest space achievements and technologies here in the capital today.
In November, President of Iran's Amirkabir University Alireza Rahaei announced the country is preparing to put a new home-made satellite, called Nahid (Venus), into orbit in the next three months.
He said researchers at Amirkabir University of Technology have accomplished part of the studies on the satellite which is to be launched into space in next three months with the backing of the Iranian Space Agency (ISA).
Rahaei noted that the industrial phases of the project have been accomplished and researchers are now working on the launch phase.
