Iran Announces Successful Launch of 'Simorgh' Satellite Launch Vehicle

On Thursday, August 5, Iran announced that it has successfully launched the 'Simorgh' satellite launch vehicle into space as part of a test, marking the official inauguration of the Imam Khomeini National Space Center. State television and news agencies reported that the launch was 'successful.' According to the report, the 'Simorgh' launch vehicle is capable of placing satellites weighing up to 250 kilograms into an orbit 500 kilometers above the Earth. ISNA news agency states that the launch coincided with the opening of the Khomeini Space Center, which is considered 'the first fixed platform base of the Islamic Republic of Iran.' The report mentions that all stages of preparation, launch, control, and guidance of launch vehicles are carried out at this facility. The launch of this satellite vehicle coincided with strong criticism from the United States regarding Iran's ballistic missile tests. American officials emphasize that Iran's ballistic missile testing violates the spirit of the JCPOA, which calls for Tehran to refrain from launching any ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads for eight years. Tehran has rejected such claims, stating that it has no intention of equipping its missiles with nuclear warheads. Iran has pursued a space program for years, but the U.S. and its allies are concerned that the technology used for launching satellites could lead to an increase in the range of Iran's missiles. During Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's presidency, Iran launched several satellites into space, but after Hassan Rouhani came to power, these space projects were sidelined. Iran launched its first satellite, named 'Omid,' which officials described as having 'research and telecommunications' purposes, into space in February 2009 aboard the 'Safir' launch vehicle. About a year after the launch of the Omid satellite, Iranian officials announced the successful launch of the 'Kavoshgar 3' satellite launch vehicle, which was equipped with a capsule containing a live snake and mouse. Tehran also announced the sending of a monkey into space in 2013. However, Rouhani's government shelved Ahmadinejad's plan to send humans into space last May due to the high costs of the project. The former president of Iran had announced in August 2010 that Iran would send its first crewed spacecraft to the Moon by the end of 2019. Last year, the commander of the Aerospace Force of the Revolutionary Guard accused the eleventh government of keeping a 'ready-to-fly' satellite launch vehicle in storage out of 'fear' of the U.S. Amir Ali Hajizadeh deemed this action 'humiliating.' Iran's space program is conducted under the supervision of the Ministry of Defense, which has denied using this program as a cover for military expansion. The head of the Iranian Space Agency expressed interest in cooperating with NASA for the first time last October. Tehran has stated that it is ready to exchange its satellite findings and information with other countries.