Sharoud Space Center
TypeSpaceport
Site information
OperatorIRGCASF
ConditionOperational
Site history
Builtlate 1980s [1]

Shahroud Space Center (Persian:پایگاه فضایی شاهرود) is a Military Spaceport under control of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force (IRGCASF) located south-east of Shahroud Semnan Province, used to orbit military satellites for Iran's military space program.[2]

Overview

The launch of the Noor 1 satellite on April 22, 2020, using the Qased launch vehicle out of Shahroud space center revealed the existence of a parallel military space program run by the IRGC as opposed to Iran's civil space program run by the Iranian Space Agency (ISA).[3]

The site features a 23-meter-tall servicing tower, a concrete launch pad 200 by 140 meters and an exhaust deflector with a length of 125 meters; Interestingly, the site features no storage facilities and fuel tanks for liquid rocket fuel, and is primarily designed to launch solid fueled launch vehicles such as the Qased and the under development Qaem.[4][5]

Launch history

Launch # Date Launch Vehicle Payload Outcome Notes
1 22 April 2020 Qased Noor 1 Success Iran's first military satellite
2 8 March 2022 Qased Noor 2 Success Iran's second military satellite
3 5 November 2022[6] Qaem 100 N/A Success First sub-orbital test
4 4 March 2023[7][8] Qaem 100 Nahid-1 Failure First Qaem 100 orbital launch attempt
5 27 September 2023[9] Qased Noor 3 Success Iran's third military satellite

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Shahroud Missile Test Site". The Nuclear Threat Initiative. Retrieved 2022-06-05.
  2. ↑ Hinz, Fabian. "IRAN'S SOLID-PROPELLANT SLV PROGRAM IS ALIVE AND KICKING". Arms control wonk.
  3. ↑ "Iran Guard reveals secret space program in satellite launch". ABC News. Retrieved 2022-06-05.
  4. ↑ "Iran's first space launch center near Shahrud for its Ghaem SLV project". www.b14643.de. Retrieved 2022-06-06.
  5. ↑ Hinz, Fabian. "PASDARAN, SOLID-FUEL AND AVIATOR SUNGLASSES". Arms Control Wonk.
  6. ↑ "Iran test launches new satellite-carrying rocket". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2023-08-26.
  7. ↑ "ثریا". tv1.ir (in Persian). Retrieved 2023-08-30.
  8. ↑ "https://twitter.com/john_krzyzaniak/status/1679184846520737793?t=x4ABgpotYIHCJDAGJlSmKg&s=19". X (formerly Twitter). Retrieved 2023-08-30. {{cite web}}: External link in |title= (help)
  9. ↑ Motamedi, Maziar. "Iran's IRGC successfully puts third imaging satellite into orbit". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2023-09-27.

36°12′03″N 55°20′02″E / 36.2009°N 55.3339°E / 36.2009; 55.3339

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