Three researchers die in space research institute "fire"
The Minister of Communications announced that three space researchers have lost their lives in a “fire” at a space research institute. He added that officials “discovered the fire late” due to a ceremony being held at the same time.
Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi, the Minister of Communications of the Islamic Republic of Iran, announced on Sunday, February 3, on the sidelines of the National Space Technology Day ceremony, that a "fire" had occurred in one of the research institutes of the Iranian Space Research Institute, resulting in the death of three researchers.
Azari Jahromi, without mentioning the time and place of the "fire," added that officials "discovered the fire late because a ceremony was being held at the same time as the fire."
The Iranian Space Research Institute has five research institutes, including two system research institutes called Satellite Systems and Space Transportation Systems in Tehran, three research institutes in provincial centers called Space Propulsion, Mechanics, and Materials and Energy in Tabriz, Shiraz, and Isfahan, respectively, and one research center. It is not clear in which of the research institutes this “fire” occurred.
According to Mehr News Agency, the Minister of Communications said that an expert team is investigating the causes of the incident.
The website of this research institute states: The Iranian Space Research Institute, which was established in 2011, based on the authorization of the Supreme Council for the Development of Higher Education, in order to respond to some of the country's needs in the field of space science and technology, is affiliated with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, based on the resolution of the Supreme Administrative Council dated 2014/11/8.
According to information on this site, Dr. Hossein Samimi is currently the head of this research institute.
No news about the launch of the "Friendship" satellite
On Sunday, February 14, without mentioning the news of the "fire" at the Iranian Space Research Institute, the Tabnak website wrote in a complaint: "The 14th of February has passed, while contrary to expectations, there is no news of the launch of the "Friendship" satellite into space; one of the two launches that Rouhani promised to Iranians in the gathering of the people of Golestan and it was thought that everything was ready to make it happen, but apparently this was not the case."
Tabnak refers to the failure of the "Payam" satellite launch and adds that the former "Sharifsat" and the current "Doosti" are the names of the second Iranian satellite that will be launched into space in 2018.
Apparently, the Minister of Communications had said that on the 10th anniversary of space technology, the "Friendship" satellite would be launched into Earth's orbit, but this did not happen; instead, news of a "fire" was announced.
Source: DW
