Semnan Space Center (Persian:) is the primary Iranian spaceport, located southeast of the city of Semnan in the north of the country.
History Media attention on the space center began when Iranian authorities announced their intent to launch an artificial satellite within weeks on 16 August 2008. On 17 August 2008, Iran proceeded, as preannounced, with the second test launch of a three-stage Safir SLV from a site south of Semnan in the northern part of the Dasht-e-Kavir desert. Reza Taghizadeh, head of the Iranian Aerospace Organization, told state television "The Safir (Ambassador) satellite carrier was launched today and for the first time we successfully launched a dummy satellite into orbit". As reported in late 2009 and early 2010, a new, larger launch pad was under construction at .
Launch sites Circular launch platform The Circular Launch Platform is the oldest launch pad and also recognizable by the light blue background with the original logo of the Iran Space Agency (ISA).The platform has a simplified character and consists of a leveled terrain with a circular asphalted section of a diameter of 65 m, at the center of which is a service tower.
Main Launch Platform
The Main Launch Platform (Imam Khomeini Space Launch Terminal) is located at the east of the complex on a specially enclosed octagonal area measuring 900 x 660 m and covering an area of 51.4 ha, representing the largest single element of the new space center. The units are accessed by a road from the northwest, which is within the perimeter of the three rays and forms two main inner zones – almost completely built lower and newly initiated upper (state of 2015). The lower zone consists of spacious launching platforms with towers and four larger compartments for installation and storage. Map of the Semnan Space Center Legend:Installations: - Antennas for communications () - Distribution substations () - Circular launch pad () - Main launch pad () - Drive mounting rocket () - Operations Center () - Polygon ballistic missiles () - Test center for rocket motors () - Administrative Center () - Military administrative and technical center ()
Launch history Date Carrier rocket Payload Pad Outcome NoteNovember 2, 2006 Kavoshgar-1 (A) No Payload mobile Atmospheric flight (v = 10 km)February 25, 2007 Kavoshgar-1 Kavosh mobile First Mesosphere flightFebruary 4, 2008 Kavoshgar-1 No Payload mobile First flight above Kármán line August 16, 2008 Safir-1 DemoSat circular First Iranian object in Orbit November 26, 2008 Kavoshgar-2 (B) Empty bio capsule mobile Atmospheric flight (v = 40 km) February 2, 2009 Safir-1 Omid circular First operational Iranian Satellite February 3, 2010 Kavoshgar-3 (B) Poikilotherm mobile Atmospheric flight (v = 55 km) March 15, 2011 Kavoshgar-4 (C) Empty bio capsule mobile Suborbital flight (v = 135 km) June 15, 2011 Safir-1A Rasad 1 circular Operating satellite September 15, 2011 Kavoshgar-5 (C) bio capsule mobile Suborbital flight (v = 120 km) February 3, 2012 Safir-1B Navid circular Operating satelliteMay 23, 2012 Kavoshgar-6 (C) DemoSat mobile Suborbital flight (v = 120 km) January 28, 2013 Kavoshgar-7 (C) Pishgam mobile Suborbital flight (v = 120 km) December 14, 2013 Kavoshgar-8 (D) Fargam circular Suborbital flight (v = 120 km)February 2, 2015 Safir-1B Fajr circular Satellite orbited for 24 days prior to re-entryApril 19, 2016 Simorgh No Payload Main Suborbital flightJuly 27, 2017 Simorgh No Payload Main Test flight; failure shortly after liftoffJanuary 15, 2019 Simorgh AUTSAT ("Project Payam") Main Third stage failedFebruary 5, 2019 Safir Doosti Main Launch failureFebruary 9, 2020 Simorgh Zafar-1 Main Satellite fails to reach orbit31 January or 1 February 2021 Zuljanah Test payload circular Successful first test flight of Zuljanah. Sub-orbital. Apogee 500 km.June 12, 2021 Simorgh Unknown payload Main Failed to reach orbit.December 30, 2021 Simorgh 3 unknown payloads Main Iranian state media reported a successful flight, but no objects were detected in orbit following this launch. Reported apogee: 470 km (290 mi).June 26, 2022 Zuljanah circular Successful second test flight of Zuljanah. Sub-orbital.December 6, 2023 Salman Bio-capsule circular Successful maiden flight of Salman. Sub-orbital (v = 130 km).January 28, 2024 Simorgh 3 satellites Main First successful orbital flight of Simorgh. Carried the Hatef-1, Keyhan-2 and Mahda satellites.December 6, 2024SimorghFakhr-1 military Communications Satellite, one research satelliteMain First Successful launch equipped with Saman-1 space tug, inserting two satellites into orbit with an apogee of 410km and perigee of 300 kilometers.
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