The Iranian Space Agency director says the Islamic Republic constructs a new space center in the southeast region of the country. Hamid Fazeli did not specify the location of the new space center, but said its location was chosen to be as close as possible to the equator to make it easier to launch rockets into space. According to Fazeli, Iran plans to launch three domestically- produced satellites: the Fajr (Dawn), Sharif (Noble) and Nahid (Venus). Fajr is a 50-kilogram satellite built by the Iranian Electronics Industry to carry an imaging payload, with a resolution of 500-1,000 meters and a lifespan of 18 months. Sharif, manufactured by the Sharif University of Technology, is also an imaging satellite. Nahid is a new satellite and earlier this year Fazeli was quoted as saying it is designed with folding solar panels for greater maneuverability in space. Iran was set to launch Fajr in May, but the country’s state media announced that the project had been delayed because further tests were required. Iran has been aggressively accelerating its space and missile program for the past several years, raising Western concerns over its military potential.