URGENT: Iran set to launch first domestic satellite by March 20

TEHRAN, January 28 (RIA Novosti) - Iran plans to launch its first domestic communications satellite Omid (Hope) into low Earth orbit by March 20, the head of the Iranian space agency said on Wednesday.

"If we do not run into problems, the first domestic satellite will be put in orbit by the end of this [Iranian solar calendar] year," Reza Taghipour said.