IRGC announces upcoming tests for satellite carrier 'Qaem 105'
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The test launches of the satellite carrier 'Qaem 105' are set to commence in the upcoming year.
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This frame grab from a video aired by Iranian state television on Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2023, shows what Iran's Communication Minister Isa Zarepour said is a Noor-3 satellite being launched from an undisclosed location, in Iran (IRIB via AP)
The Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force’s Space Division announced plans to develop a sophisticated satellite carrier that will be capable of deploying satellites into geostationary orbit 36,000 kilometers above Earth, Iranian sources reported on Sunday.
Commander of IRGC Aerospace Force General Ali Jafarabadi lauded the recent successful launch of the Soraya satellite into low Earth orbit (LEO) using the Qaem-100 satellite carrier.
اگر علم در #ثریا باشد،
— Ⓜ️نرگسی🇮🇷 (@nargesi__63) January 20, 2024
مردانی از سرزمین فارس به آن دست خواهند یافت.#روایت_اقتدار pic.twitter.com/aRVH7TfJBS
The Qaem-100, a three-stage satellite carrier powered by solid fuel, efficiently positioned Soraya 750 kilometers above Earth within 11 minutes.
General Jafarabadi confirmed the operational readiness of the Qaem-100 and revealed plans for the test launch of Qaem-105 next year.
Looking ahead, Iran aims to test launch the Qaem-120 satellite carrier within the next three years. This carrier is designed to deploy satellites into the challenging geostationary orbit.
Qaem-100 satellite carrier, which can place satellites weighing up to 80kg into orbit 500km from earth's surface
— Iran Defense|نیروهای مسلح جمهوری اسلامی ایران (@IranDefense) November 19, 2023
Qaem-105, Qaem-110, & Qaem-120 are known to be under development pic.twitter.com/aqCxELBBBQ
General Jafarabadi highlighted Iran's technical prowess in manufacturing sophisticated solid-fuel engines, featuring cutting-edge composite materials capable of withstanding extreme temperatures and pressures. These engines are equipped with precision-guided nozzles.
Read more: Iran plans to launch five new satellites into space
In 1984, Iran launched its space program and was focused on developing sounding rockets and small satellites, which it successfully developed and launched in 1999.
Iran began its space program in the early 2000s, building its own satellite launcher on the Shahab-4 missile. The Semnan launch pad in the country's north was built in 2009.
In 2012, it launched its first telecommunications satellite; in 2013, it conducted a test of its space launch vehicle, Simorgh; and in 2020, it launched its first military satellite, Noor-1.
The IRGC Aerospace launched its Noor-2 satellite by the domestically-built three-stage rocket propelled by a mix of solid and liquid fuels launcher Qassed (messenger) on March 8, 2022, and it is orbiting Earth at an altitude of 500 km.
Due to high costs, Iran's space program was suspended between 2015 and 2017. Two civilian test launches failed in 2019, but the Iranian military successfully launched two satellites into orbit in 2020 and March 2022.
In September 2023, the Aerospace Force announced they had successfully placed the Noor-3 Imaging Satellite into orbit.
