Iran Launches New Research Satellite into Orbit

Iran placed a new "research satellite" called Chamran-1 into a 550-kilometer orbit on September 14.

The Chamran-1 satellite is said to be "designed and built by Iran Electronics Industries in cooperation with Iran's Aerospace Research Institute and private knowledge-based companies”.

It was launched using the Qaem-100 three-stage satellite launch vehicle (SLV), according to the state-run news agency IRNA.

The new Chamran-1 satellite weighs approximately 60 kg and its primary mission was described as "testing hardware and software systems for validating orbital manoeuvring technology in altitude and phase".

The new satellite would be also used to "evaluate the cold gas propulsion subsystem in space systems and assess the performance of navigation and attitude control subsystems".

The satellite has been named after Mostafa Chamran, one of the statesmen and military leaders in the very early years of the Islamic Republic following its founding in 1979, who was killed in the Iran-Iraq war.

The Qaem-100 successfully placed a satellite into orbit above 500 kilometers (310 miles) for the first time in January. That same month, Iran launched three satellites, two of them nanosatellites, using the Simorgh satellite launch vehicle (SLV). The two nanosatellites, Keyhan-2 and Hatef-1, both of which weigh less than 10 kg, were produced by Iran Electronics Industries, which is under sanction by the US.

The satellite called Mahda, which weighs 32 kg, was put into the 450-km elliptical orbit with an apogee of 1,100 km to test satellite subsystems and evaluate the performance of new space technologies.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanani hailed the "successful" launch, saying “the illogical embargo seekers have, once again, received their just response for their illogical actions in the most palpable way".

In late August, the head of the Iranian Space Agency, Hossein Salarieh, announced that 14 domestically manufactured satellites were ready to be launched in the near future, and 30 others were being built for different purposes.

“The private sector is constructing 20 out of these 30 satellites,” he added.

According to him, six to eight domestic and foreign satellite launches are planned by the end of 2024. He added that the Tolou-3 and Zafar-2 satellites will be launched using foreign launchers in December 2024.

The US has imposed sanctions on Iran's space program, and some European countries have expressed concerns that Tehran might be using the program as a cover to advance its ballistic missile systems that can facilitate the launch of nuclear warheads. Meanwhile, Iran maintains that its space program, like its nuclear program, is peaceful.

Under Iran’s relatively moderate former President Hassan Rouhani, Tehran slowed its space program for fear of raising tensions with the West. However, late hard-line President Ebrahim Raisi, who came to power in 2021, pushed the program forward.