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Iran in Orbit
The list covers all of Iran's satellites that have been sent towards orbit using an indigenous launching rocket.
A mid-2008 launch. claimed by Iran to have been a success, may have been a failed attempt to orbit Omid or might genuinely have been a launch vehicle final test before the actual Omid launch. The weight of evidence is towards the former so the launch probably represents Iran's first attempt at orbit.
In addition to the launches listed here, a Safir rocket was destroyed by an on-pad explosion around 2019 August 29. There is no evidence that it occurred as the result of a launch attempt. Rather, the event occurred during preparations for launch of the Nahid satellite. For that reason it does not appear in the list.
2008-F02 - failed to reach orbit Safir 1
Ayatollah Khomeini SC | 2008 Aug 17, 18:30 UTC | |
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| Described by Iran as a dummy payload not destined for orbit but may have been the first attempt to launch Omid, a comms test satellite. Destroyed when launch vehicle reportedly exploded soon after lift-off. |
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2009-004 Safir 1
Ayatollah Khomeini SC | 2009 Feb 2, 18:34 UTC | Omid (Hope) 2009-004A 33506 |
Re-entered - 2009 Apr 25
Life 82 days
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| Demonstration satellite reportedly including 'store and forward' payload to test up and down comms links. Success reported two days after launch. Mass 27.270 kg and powered by onboard batteries which became exhausted around Feb 20. Iran stated that it ceased to operate at the time it re-entered. |
epoch (UTC) | s-m axis
( km ) | ecc | perigee
( km ) | apogee
( km ) | period
( min ) | incl
( ° ) | ω
( ° ) | | |
| 2009 Feb 02, 21:06 | 6690 | 0.0104 | 243 | 382 | 90.77 | 55.52 | 152 | | | |
2011-025 Safir 1
Ayatollah Khomeini SC | 2011 Jun 15, 09:15 UTC | Rasad 1 (Observation 1) 2011-025A 37675 |
Re-entered - 2011 Jul 6
Life 21 days
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| 15.3 kg microsatellite reportedly for Earth imaging with 200m resolution but imagery results not published. Equipped with gravity-gradient stabilisation boom. The launch time is an estimate ±1 minute. Indications were initially that Rasad might be launched as a dual payload with the larger, 50 kg, Fajr 1 satellite. Iran indicated testing delays with Fajr 1 so the dual launch may have been taken off the schedule. |
epoch (UTC) | s-m axis
( km ) | ecc | perigee
( km ) | apogee
( km ) | period
( min ) | incl
( ° ) | ω
( ° ) | | |
| 2011 Jun 15, 19:14 | 6645 | 0.0035 | 244 | 291 | 89.85 | 55.68 | 81 | | | |
2012-005 Safir 1-B
Ayatollah Khomeini SC | 2012 Feb 3, 00:04 UTC | Navid (Navid-e-Elm va Sana't) 2012-005A 38075 |
Re-entered - 2012 Apr 1
Life 58 days
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| Imaging satellite with 400m resolution. The mass is 50kg. Intended orbit announced in advance as 250 x 375 km, 55° inclination. Early reports said the design may include an onboard thruster to circularise the orbit at 375 km but this now seems unlikely. The full name means 'Promise of Science and Industry'. February 8, Navid reportedly returned its first image.Launch time is an estimate but should be within ±1 minute, re-entered naturally 2012 Apr 1 19:09 UTC ±2 min. |
epoch (UTC) | s-m axis
( km ) | ecc | perigee
( km ) | apogee
( km ) | period
( min ) | incl
( ° ) | ω
( ° ) | | |
| 2012 Feb 03, 19:34 | 6703 | 0.0074 | 276 | 374 | 91.03 | 56.02 | 133 | | | |
2015-006 Safir 1-B
Ayatollah Khomeini SC | 2015 Feb 2, 08:49 UTC | |
Re-entered - 2015 Feb 26
Life 24 days
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| Reportedly an electronic intelligence gathering (ELINT) satellite. Described by Iran as having an orbit adjustment thruster but there is no evidence of it being used. Project was subject to significant delays. |
epoch (UTC) | s-m axis
( km ) | ecc | perigee
( km ) | apogee
( km ) | period
( min ) | incl
( ° ) | ω
( ° ) | | |
| 2015 Feb 02, 21:06 | 6724 | 0.0181 | 224 | 468 | 91.45 | 55.54 | 163 | | | |
2017-F04 - failed to reach orbit Simorgh
Ayatollah Khomeini SC | 2017 Jul 27, 09:30 UTC | |
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| Orbital test flight of the Simorgh rocket. Second stage failed. |
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2019-F01 - failed to reach orbit Simorgh
Ayatollah Khomeini SC | 2019 Jan 15 UTC | |
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| Imaging and message relay satellite aimed at 500 km, 54° inclination but a problem with the launch vehicle upper stage prevented it reaching orbit. |
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2019-F02 - failed to reach orbit Safir 1-B
Ayatollah Khomeini SC | 2019 Feb 5 UTC | |
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| Earth imaging satellite aimed at 500 km, 54° orbit. Launch vehicle failed about two minutes after lift-off. |
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2020-F01 - failed to reach orbit Simorgh
Ayatollah Khomeini SC | 2020 Feb 9, 15:48 UTC | |
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| Imaging remote sensing satellite for monitoring natural resources, agricultural and environmental developments. Also carried low-bandwidth comms and messaging system. Aimed at 540 km orbit but lost when the launch vehicle failed to impart sufficient velocity. Re-entered over Indian Ocean. |
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2020-024 Qased (Messenger)
Shahroud Test Centre, Dasht-e Kavir, Iran | 2020 Apr 22, 03:58 UTC | Nour 1 (Light 1) 2020-024A 45529 |
Re-entered - 2022 Apr 13
Life 721 days
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| 6U Cubesat - military satellite launched by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, probably for low resolution Earth imaging. |
epoch (UTC) | s-m axis
( km ) | ecc | perigee
( km ) | apogee
( km ) | period
( min ) | incl
( ° ) | ω
( ° ) | | |
| 2020 Apr 23, 06:11 | 6810 | 0.0007 | 426 | 436 | 93.2 | 59.81 | 232 | | | | Qased upper stage 2020-024B 45530 |
in space
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| Launched Nour 1. |
epoch (UTC) | s-m axis
( km ) | ecc | perigee
( km ) | apogee
( km ) | period
( min ) | incl
( ° ) | ω
( ° ) | | |
| 2020 Apr 23, 07:25 | 6814 | 0.0013 | 427 | 445 | 93.29 | 59.8 | 213 | | | |
2021-F03 - failed to reach orbit Simorgh
Ayatollah Khomeini SC | 2021 Jun 12 UTC | |
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| Lost when launch failed. Launch was reported by US Government but denied by Iran. |
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2021-Q01 Simorgh
Ayatollah Khomeini SC | 2021 Dec 30, 03:30 UTC | |
Re-entered - 2021 Dec 30
Life <1 day
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| Carried by Simorgh. Iranian launch information is unclear over whether they were intended to reach orbit - may have been used to evaluate launch vehicle performance. Re-entered, together with the upper stage, probably above the eastern Indian Ocean near Australia. Ground track probably followed that of a launch to about 55° inclination. |
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2022-024 Qased (Messenger)
Shahroud Test Centre, Dasht-e Kavir, Iran | 2022 Mar 8, 05:06 UTC | Nour 2 (Light 2) 2022-024A 51954 |
in space
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| 6U Cubesat - military satellite launched by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, probably for low resolution Earth imaging - purpose was announced as "reconnaissance". |
epoch (UTC) | s-m axis
( km ) | ecc | perigee
( km ) | apogee
( km ) | period
( min ) | incl
( ° ) | ω
( ° ) | | |
| 2022 Mar 08, 15:36 | 6882 | 0.0013 | 495 | 513 | 94.7 | 58.3 | 238 | | | | Qased upper stage 2022-024B 51955 |
in space
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| Launched Nour 2. |
epoch (UTC) | s-m axis
( km ) | ecc | perigee
( km ) | apogee
( km ) | period
( min ) | incl
( ° ) | ω
( ° ) | | |
| 2022 Mar 08, 15:36 | 6881 | 0.0010 | 496 | 509 | 94.67 | 58.3 | 248 | | | |
Page published: 2012 Feb 11
Subject to continual updates
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