Author Topic: First Satellite launch by Iran (Read 81782 times)

Satori · « **on:** 01/27/2009 05:28 pm »

Xinhua is announcing that Iran will launch it's first satellite, Omid, next March 20 - Iran to send satellite to space by March 20 .

William Graham · « **Reply #1 on:** 01/27/2009 05:58 pm »

Quote from: Satori on 01/27/2009 05:28 pm

Xinhua is announcing that Iran will launch it's first satellite, Omid, next March 20 - Iran to send satellite to space by March 20 .

That says by 20 March, so it will probably happen beforehand.

jcm · « **Reply #2 on:** 02/03/2009 05:15 am »

Quote from: GW_Simulations on 01/27/2009 05:58 pm

Quote from: Satori on 01/27/2009 05:28 pm
Xinhua is announcing that Iran will launch it's first satellite, Omid, next March 20 - Iran to send satellite to space by March 20 .

That says by 20 March, so it will probably happen beforehand.

Omid was launched on Feb 2 and is being tracked in a 245 x 378 km x 55.5 deg orbit.
My calculations suggest launch was between 1830 and 1840 UTC.
Iranian news is calling the launch vehicle Safir-2.

jcm · « **Reply #3 on:** 02/03/2009 05:18 am »

The first Iranian satellite was launched into orbit on Feb 2 at
around 1830 UTC on a southeastern trajectory from an unidentified
launch site in Iran. Two
objects are in orbits of 245 x 378 km x 55.51 deg and 245 x 439 x 55.6
deg; one is presumably the Omid payload and the other the Safir rocket
final stage, but it's not clear yet which is which. The first object's
orbit is close to the announced plan of a 250-350 km altitude.
The Iranian Students News Agency calls the launch vehicle
Safir-2; it's not clear if this is represents a different vehicle
type from Safir-1, or just a serial number.

International designation is 2009-04A and 2009-04B.

- Jonathan

osiossim · « **Reply #4 on:** 02/03/2009 05:41 am »

http://www.isna.ir/ISNA/NewsView.aspx?ID=News-1283364&Lang=E
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=84486&sectionid=351020101

Iran’s “Omid” satellite placed in orbit successfully

Rusty_Barton · « **Reply #5 on:** 02/03/2009 06:04 am »

Iran makes first satellite launch - BBC
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7866357.stm

JimO · « **Reply #6 on:** 02/03/2009 06:40 am »

Any independent confirmation orbit was achieved? Any estimated orbital parameters? Is it 2009-04A or was that some other launch?

jcm · « **Reply #7 on:** 02/03/2009 06:53 am »

Quote from: JimO on 02/03/2009 06:40 am

Any independent confirmation orbit was achieved? Any estimated orbital parameters? Is it 2009-04A or was that some other launch?

Yes, already on one of the other threads, I'll repeat here with additions, apologies for wasted bandwidth.

The first Iranian satellite was launched into orbit on Feb 2 at
around 1830 UTC on a southeastern trajectory from an unidentified
launch site in Iran. Two
objects are in orbits of 245 x 378 km x 55.51 deg and 245 x 439 x 55.6
deg; one is presumably the Omid payload and the other the Safir rocket
final stage, but it's not clear yet which is which. The first object's
orbit is close to the announced plan of a 250-350 km altitude.
The Iranian Students News Agency calls the launch vehicle
Safir-2; it's not clear if this is represents a different vehicle
type from Safir-1, or just a serial number.

objects are 2009-004A and 004B. Launch track passes over Iran and two objects
orbits intersect shortly afer. launch time probably 1835 +- 5 min UTC.

Jonathan

Liss · « **Reply #8 on:** 02/03/2009 07:11 am »

In this news item http://www.irinn.ir/Default.aspx?TabId=56&nid=122987 my uneducated eyes see the numbers 250 and 450 -- maybe kilometers of height?

Skyrocket · « **Reply #9 on:** 02/03/2009 08:47 am »

Possible images of the Omid satellite:

http://78.38.204.140/image/2008/02/338399_orig.jpg

http://www.b14643.de/Spacerockets_1/Rest_World/Iran/Gallery/Omid.jpg

astropl · « **Reply #10 on:** 02/03/2009 08:53 am »

Quote from: jcm on 02/03/2009 05:18 am

The Iranian Students News Agency calls the launch vehicle
Safir-2; it's not clear if this is represents a different vehicle
type from Safir-1, or just a serial number.

See here: http://www.irinn.ir/Default.aspx?TabID=36&aid=2055&pid=1
It's Safir Omid (2).

All 15 photos are from yesterday launch.

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #11 on:** 02/03/2009 10:36 am »

So this actually happened, and they aren't talking about of their backsides as per usual for Iran?

eeergo · « **Reply #12 on:** 02/03/2009 10:39 am »

Nice video of the launch:

All the news stations I've found talk about it as a given fact, including CNN.

William Graham · « **Reply #13 on:** 02/03/2009 10:41 am »

Quote from: Chris Bergin on 02/03/2009 10:36 am

So this actually happened, and they aren't talking about of their backsides as per usual for Iran?

As I understand it, the US military have detected the satellite.

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #14 on:** 02/03/2009 10:49 am »

Ok, thanks. Let's hope it raises some concerns in right places.

Analyst · « **Reply #15 on:** 02/03/2009 10:54 am »

Quote from: Chris Bergin on 02/03/2009 10:36 am

So this actually happened, and they aren't talking about of their backsides as per usual for Iran?

Quote from: Chris Bergin on 02/03/2009 10:49 am

Ok, thanks. Let's hope it raises some concerns in right places.

What are you talking about?

Analyst

Satori · « **Reply #16 on:** 02/03/2009 11:01 am »

Quote from: Chris Bergin on 02/03/2009 10:49 am

Ok, thanks. Let's hope it raises some concerns in right places.

I don't think we should be concerned with this launch or with the fact that Iran has this kind of capability.

iamlucky13 · « **Reply #17 on:** 02/03/2009 11:32 am »

Quote from: Satori on 02/03/2009 11:01 am

Quote from: Chris Bergin on 02/03/2009 10:49 am
Ok, thanks. Let's hope it raises some concerns in right places.

I don't think we should be concerned with this launch or with the fact that Iran has this kind of capability.

Given some of Iran's stated or implied intentions and hopes, improvements in their rocketry technology are most definitely cause for alarm. Whether or not that alarm is justified is up to Iran.

However, I'd rather talk about the launch than the politics. I can definitely appreciate the excitement the Iranian scientists and engineers must feel.

Assuming the pictures skyrocket linked to are representative, it is an unsurprisingly simple satellite. There's no solar cells visible on the top surface, and I'm sure there's no RCS that would keep panels on a single face pointed at the sun, so I presume it is battery powered and therefore has a definite operational duration.

I was surprised at first with by the squeal just before launch in the video. I thought they were using solid fueled rockets, but the Shahab this is supposedly based off of (itself a relative of the Scud) is apparently turbo-pump powered.

In the video, it looked like it tracked cleanly coming off the pad, but also was moving really slow, so the first stage is probably completely maxed out.

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #18 on:** 02/03/2009 11:38 am »

Quote from: Analyst on 02/03/2009 10:54 am

Quote from: Chris Bergin on 02/03/2009 10:36 am
So this actually happened, and they aren't talking about of their backsides as per usual for Iran?
Quote from: Chris Bergin on 02/03/2009 10:49 am
Ok, thanks. Let's hope it raises some concerns in right places.

What are you talking about?

Analyst

Edit:

I'm going to moderate myself, as my personal feelings are getting in the way. People are right, I'll leave politics out of this and bite my tounge.

Liss · « **Reply #19 on:** 02/03/2009 11:49 am »

Colleagues, if anybody speaks Farsi: does the news item http://www.irinn.ir/Default.aspx?TabId=56&nid=122987 say about the 25 kg satellite launched to 250x450 km by a two-stage launch vehicle of 22 meters in lenght and 27 tons in weigth?