MNA� The managing director of Iran Aviation Industries Organization Manouchehr Manteghi announced on Tuesday that Zafar satellite design and construction would end by next year.


Pointing to Iran's first place in the region to conquer space, Manteghi praised Iranian universities' scientific and academic activities, noting that the country ranked 11th in terms of scientific production in aerospace in 2015.

The number of citations has been upgraded one rank compared to 2014, and�as in four years, Iran has been ranked first in the region in the field of aerospace scientific grades, Manteghi asserted.

He pointed to the development of space technologies, saying the defined projects have�been conducted in collaboration with universities and activities done by knowledge-based companies, among them are Dousti (Friendship) satellite built by�students of Sharif University of Technology, Nahid of Iran University of Science and Technology, At-Sat of Amir Kabir University, Zafar, etc.

He added that At-Sat and Nahid were in the final stages of integration and testing and would soon be launched.

The head of Iran Aviation Industries Organization also referred to Iran's balloon-based telecommunications system, Tadbir 1, and said Mofid balloon will also go under test soon.