Iranian Space

[jcm]

The IRGC's Noor-3 satellite reentered on Aug 16.
So we might expect a replacement soon?

[PM3]

There are total 35 threads now in this section about Iranian spaceflight. And there will be more. What do you think about moving then to a dedicated section "Iranian spaceflight"?

Most of these threads are about launchers and launches, but some about satellites and space policy.

I don't think that needs a separate section when even South Korea that has a far more advanced space programme both in terms of launch vehicle development and satellite deployment, as well as space science and exploration and international cooperation doesn't have one. Don't forget to consider South Korea's new space sector which is also far more active than that of Iran.

More importantly, I don't think South Korea needs a separate section either as of current. Maybe in two or so years (they will publish a long-term national space exploration roadmap this year, a first of it's kind for Korean space programme), but not yet.

For now, an index suffice, and that's also the reason I've made one

Currently there are 43 threads about Iranian spaceflight (I missed some in the count of 37 above). Iran has three active orbital launchers and does three launches per year, with more launchers under development. Thus it is the most active "emerging space nation", with the fastest growing number of forum threads. More active than Japan. I still think it would make sense to split this off into a dedicated "Iranian spaceflight" (or Iranian launchers) board.

I tried to attract Chris Bergin's attention to this topic, but so far he was to busy with other things. Maybe some moderator could take care of it?

[catdlr]

There are total 35 threads now in this section about Iranian spaceflight. And there will be more. What do you think about moving then to a dedicated section "Iranian spaceflight"?

Most of these threads are about launchers and launches, but some about satellites and space policy.

I don't think that needs a separate section when even South Korea that has a far more advanced space programme both in terms of launch vehicle development and satellite deployment, as well as space science and exploration and international cooperation doesn't have one. Don't forget to consider South Korea's new space sector which is also far more active than that of Iran.

More importantly, I don't think South Korea needs a separate section either as of current. Maybe in two or so years (they will publish a long-term national space exploration roadmap this year, a first of it's kind for Korean space programme), but not yet.

For now, an index suffice, and that's also the reason I've made one

Currently there are 43 threads about Iranian spaceflight (I missed some in the count of 37 above). Iran has three active orbital launchers and does three launches per year, with more launchers under development. Thus it is the most active "emerging space nation", with the fastest growing number of forum threads. More active than Japan. I still think it would make sense to split this off into a dedicated "Iranian spaceflight" (or Iranian launchers) board.

I tried to attract Chris Bergin's attention to this topic, but so far he was to busy with other things. Maybe some moderator could take care of it?

I don't know where you get 43 threads. These are the only relevant ones, and most are old.

https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=47481.msg1913186#msg1913186

[edkyle99]

Orbital Launch Totals
For what it's worth, a comparison by raw numbers of launches. 
This, of course, does not take into account the size of the payloads.

   Launches(Failures)
2020-2024 as of Sept 21
----------------------
Europe   21(2)
India    19(2)
Japan    15(3)
Iran     10(4)
S. Korea  4(1)
N. Korea  4(3)
Israel    2(0)
----------------------

 - Ed Kyle

[PM3]

I don't know where you get 43 threads. These are the only relevant ones, and most are old.

https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=47481.msg1913186#msg1913186

Add these:

Iranian Space
...and Iran?
Iranian launch schedule

Iranian Safir-1C SLV
Iranian Ghaem solid fuel Space Launch Vehicle
Zoljanah - new Iranian SLV
Iranian Soyuz COTS launcher?
Iranian Ballistic Missile/Satellite Launch

Another Rocket Launch by Iran
Iran's Chabahar space center

Iran to build 3 more Khayyam observation satellites
New Iranian satellite - displayed 3.2.2016
Iran's Mesbah 1 satellite (MIA)

Iran's manned space capsule unveiled
Iran Plans To Send Astronauts Into Space

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps seeks control of space program
Iran space sector is now under US sanctions.
Iran seek cooperation with France in the field of commuication

[catdlr]

I don't know where you get 43 threads. These are the only relevant ones, and most are old.

https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=47481.msg1913186#msg1913186

Add these:

Iranian Space
...and Iran?
Iranian launch schedule

Iranian Safir-1C SLV
Iranian Ghaem solid fuel Space Launch Vehicle
Zoljanah - new Iranian SLV
Iranian Soyuz COTS launcher?
Iranian Ballistic Missile/Satellite Launch

Another Rocket Launch by Iran
Iran's Chabahar space center

Iran to build 3 more Khayyam observation satellites
New Iranian satellite - displayed 3.2.2016
Iran's Mesbah 1 satellite (MIA)

Iran's manned space capsule unveiled
Iran Plans To Send Astronauts Into Space

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps seeks control of space program
Iran space sector is now under US sanctions.
Iran seek cooperation with France in the field of commuication

PM3
Send a PM to Chris Bergan with your request.  Include all the links you provided as your support.

[PM3]

   Launches(Failures)
2020-2024 as of Sept 21
----------------------
Europe   21(2)
India    19(2)
Japan    15(3)
Iran     10(4)
S. Korea  4(1)
N. Korea  4(3)
Israel    2(0)
----------------------

Iran is gearing up the launch cadence. Omitting Europe, which recently had a launcher outage:

  Launches(Failures)
2022-2024 as of Sept 21
----------------------
India    14(1)
Japan    7(2)
Iran     7(1)
N. Korea  4(3)
S. Korea  3(1)
Israel    1(0)
----------------------

There also were two successful suborbital test flights of orbital launcher prototypes, both Iranian.

PM3
Send a PM to Chris Bergan with your request.  Include all the links you provided as your support.

I did half a year ago. Chris answered that he is just too busy and I should remind him later. Since then I reminded him twice, but he did not answer.

[catdlr]

   Launches(Failures)
2020-2024 as of Sept 21
----------------------
Europe   21(2)
India    19(2)
Japan    15(3)
Iran     10(4)
S. Korea  4(1)
N. Korea  4(3)
Israel    2(0)
----------------------

Iran is gearing up the launch cadence. Omitting Europe, which recently had a launcher outage:

  Launches(Failures)
2022-2024 as of Sept 21
----------------------
India    14(1)
Japan    7(2)
Iran     7(1)
N. Korea  4(3)
S. Korea  3(1)
Israel    1(0)
----------------------

There also were two successful suborbital test flights of orbital launcher prototypes, both Iranian.

PM3
Send a PM to Chris Bergan with your request.  Include all the links you provided as your support.

I did half a year ago. Chris answered that he is just too busy and I should remind him later. Since then I reminded him twice, but he did not answer.

Well, you have a home here for the time being. In the coming months, round up some fellow Irianian Space members so that all of you can send a joint PM to Chris later.  As Jack would say, " The more ...., the better".

Tony

[Mahurora]

I don't think that needs a separate section when even South Korea that has a far more advanced space programme both in terms of launch vehicle development and satellite deployment, as well as space science and exploration and international cooperation doesn't have one. Don't forget to consider South Korea's new space sector which is also far more active than that of Iran.

More importantly, I don't think South Korea needs a separate section either as of current. Maybe in two or so years (they will publish a long-term national space exploration roadmap this year, a first of it's kind for Korean space programme), but not yet.

For now, an index suffice, and that's also the reason I've made one

Currently there are 43 threads about Iranian spaceflight (I missed some in the count of 37 above). Iran has three active orbital launchers and does three launches per year, with more launchers under development. Thus it is the most active "emerging space nation", with the fastest growing number of forum threads. More active than Japan. I still think it would make sense to split this off into a dedicated "Iranian spaceflight" (or Iranian launchers) board.

Most of the threads are that of past launches that are no longer used and when we talk about active threads, it's obviously much less. Although they launch quite a few more rockets per year compared to other countries discussed in this section of the forum, and has some new launchers in their pipeline, I should question if those LVs and launches are all that meaningful. Few of those LVs are not all that different in terms of their intended purposes, and only exists because of Iran's weird governing structure. They are mostly dual-use technology, MRBM/IRBM-derived designs, which although by itself is not a problem, they are stuck on that ballistic missile based designs for 2 decades, and it doesn't seems like that's about to change any time soon.

Like I've mentioned above, their space exploration plan is pretty shallow in depth, if not practically non-existent. Topics surrounding Iran is great to speculate about due to amount of launches and lack of information, but I don't think there's much substance to that speculation. Same story for orbital activities, both commercial and public services, as well as their orbital national security activities; they aren't really that meaningful.

In my view, I think there at least needs to be more serious orbital development/scientific activities, not just ballistic missile derived LV developments, for Iran to have a dedicated section. To put it simply, most of the private new space companies in the "Commercial Space Flight General" section would deserve their own section if Iran is to have one. Obviously, most of them don't and for good reasons. I don't think Iranian space development is all that different.

[Steven Pietrobon]

My view if that we should not judge a countries space program on whether they use ballistic missile derived launches or have no scientific program, as to whether they should have a dedicated section. I think a non-subjective criteria should be used, such as the number of a launches per year, which should be applied equally to countries and developing commercial space companies. For example, once a country or company reaches five orbital launches a year, they can have a dedicated section.

[Galactic Penguin SST]

My view if that we should not judge a countries space program on whether they use ballistic missile derived launches or have no scientific program, as to whether they should have a dedicated section. I think a non-subjective criteria should be used, such as the number of a launches per year, which should be applied equally to countries and developing commercial space companies. For example, once a country or company reaches five orbital launches a year, they can have a dedicated section.

I think the main thing is that there's just not much that we can discuss about for whatever Iran does in space/orbit. Those satellites launched appears to be mostly in the range of (if not directly attributed to) university students projects.

[TheKutKu]

My view if that we should not judge a countries space program on whether they use ballistic missile derived launches or have no scientific program, as to whether they should have a dedicated section. I think a non-subjective criteria should be used, such as the number of a launches per year, which should be applied equally to countries and developing commercial space companies. For example, once a country or company reaches five orbital launches a year, they can have a dedicated section.

It's not about how "meaningful" their activities are, it's about how much insightful discussion can happen on NSF. It's still an Anglophone, US-centered (and Western-centered more generally) forum, and non-US discussion and insightful analysis, rumors/news, comments, will always be much rarer, so it's expected that that the bar for entry for such countries or companies is lower.

I don't see anyone arguing for a Galactic Energy subforum despite them launching 5 times+ a year, simply because there would be less activity there than on even the former Astra subforum... (Although a chinese commercial subforum will likely eventually be needed, alongside South Korean, Iranian, and maybe a clarification of the current scattered European Private actors threads)

So I don't think there can be any "objective" criteria for the creation of a subforum, it'll have to be guesses of which subforum gets used and which doesn't, and I can understand why the moderators would prefer to be conservative for this.

[Mahurora]

My view if that we should not judge a countries space program on whether they use ballistic missile derived launches or have no scientific program, as to whether they should have a dedicated section. I think a non-subjective criteria should be used, such as the number of a launches per year, which should be applied equally to countries and developing commercial space companies. For example, once a country or company reaches five orbital launches a year, they can have a dedicated section.

If one country is shooting 5 rockets a year, most of them being a rocket that could carry no more than 100kg of payload to LEO, and occasionally something that could launch a marginally better 250kg to the orbit, whereas another country launches only a single rocket per year, but that rocket could carry several tons to LEO, there's simply no question that the latter has a much more meaningful space programme and something more to discuss about. A purely quantitative criteria makes little sense in that regard. You call it a non-subjective criteria, but in my humble opinion, that's just criteria void of any context.

Obviously, all of this wouldn't really matter if there is great interest in Iranian space development activities, regardless of what is objectively happening. After all, it's a forum, and the most important metric is the amount of forum members who want to actively discuss the matter. Though in terms of forum interest, I don't think Iran warrants a separate forum section either.

Like I've mentioned above, most of the threads regarding Iranians LVs are that of individual launches, that are abandoned within several days after the launch is concluded. The most active thread is this very thread, and the only reason this thread itself is this long is because a lot of the people contributing to this thread are posting about ballistic missile development. If people starts discussing North Korean or South Korean ballistic missile development on this forum just like they do with Iran, it would easily eclipse the amount of discussion happening concerning Iranian programme.

If we purely talk about forum activities, Australia might even have more engagement than Iran. So no, there's really no reason for Iran to have its dedicated section, unless they actually seriously start funding their space programme and create things that are worth talking about.

[Satori]

So much talk.. of course there should be an Iranian dedicated section.

[Mahurora]

So much talk.. of course there should be an Iranian dedicated section.

Well, you say "of course" but not everyone agrees 

[Mahurora]

https://twitter.com/bds110R/status/1225427089232482305

https://twitter.com/bds110R/status/1225427097168076800

[Tywin]

Great infografic of the family of launcher of Iranian...

[TheKutKu]

There have been rumors  of an Iranian launch today, maybe it was a PR mistake and it hasn't happened yet, maybe it was a failure, does anyone have more information?

This is the official announcement that a launch will happen: https://en.mehrnews.com/news/228412/Iran-to-launch-micro-class-satellite
But there's been some conflicting reports. Searching for "ماهواره کلاس میکرو" gives some deleted or replaced article announcing that a launch had happened, as announced by Hassan Salarieh, head of the Islamic Republic's Space Organization. More recent reports say that it's happening in the comingdays.

Maybe there was a last minute scrub?

[Satori]

There have been rumors  of an Iranian launch today, maybe it was a PR mistake and it hasn't happened yet, maybe it was a failure, does anyone have more information?

I'm creating a proper thread for this: https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=62461.0

[Comet]

Some new pictures from Chabahar space launch complex