Iran to launch satellite aboard Russian Soyuz on July 25
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Iran will launch a satellite aboard a Russian Soyuz rocket on July 25, 2025, as part of a growing Iran–Russia space alliance that now includes joint missions, satellite production, and strategic cooperation.
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Iran will launch satellite aboard Russian Soyuz rocket this Friday. Take off scheduled from Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia's Far East. (Russia Today)
Iran is set to launch one of its satellites this Friday as part of a broader multi-payload space mission facilitated by Russia. The launch is scheduled for 09:54 a.m. local time on July 25, 2025, from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia’s Far East.
The operation will employ a Soyuz launch vehicle, which will carry 20 satellites in total, including the two main scientific payloads Ionosphere-M No. 3 and No. 4, alongside 18 smaller satellites whose missions and affiliations have not been publicly disclosed. The launch falls under Russia’s wider efforts to reinforce its role in global scientific, commercial, and research-oriented space projects.
The #IonosferaM satellites No. 3 & 4 and a secondary payload have been integrated into the fairing at Vostochny Cosmodrome.
— The Space Pirate🏴☠️🥷🏻🚀 (@TheSpacePirateX) July 18, 2025
Next up: integration with Soyuz-2.1b’s 3rd stage and rollout.
Launch set for 25th July. 🚀#Roscosmos #Vostochny #Soyuz pic.twitter.com/Jgj53Elkah
Earlier this week, on July 22, the Soyuz rocket was installed on Launch Pad 1-S, with visible logos from both the Iranian Space Agency and the Iranian Space Research Center, underscoring Iran’s active and public engagement in this cooperative venture.
Orbital Alliance
This launch is the latest step in a deepening Iran–Russia space partnership that began with the 2005 launch of Iran’s first satellite, Sina‑1, and has grown significantly over the years. The collaboration has included landmark missions such as the deployment of the Khayyam satellite in 2022 and the Pars-1 in early 2024, all launched aboard Russian rockets. In late 2024, Iran also launched its first private-sector satellites, Kowsar and Hodhod, again with Russian support—signaling a diversification of Iran’s space ambitions beyond state-run programs.
In 2025, this cooperation has further matured into a strategic axis, bolstered by a 20-year comprehensive treaty between Moscow and Tehran. The agreement encompasses not only joint space launches, but also technology transfers, satellite co-production, and personnel training. High-level meetings between Roscosmos officials and Iranian diplomats earlier this year confirmed that plans are underway to expand joint infrastructure and possibly develop shared satellite manufacturing facilities.
Read more: Russia to launch 100+ satellites to control drones
Although Russian officials have yet to release specifics regarding the smaller satellites aboard this latest mission, the launch reflects an evolving alliance that is reshaping both nations’ presence in the space domain amid growing Western sanctions and shifting global power dynamics.
