Safir (rocket)


The Safir is the first Iranian expendable launch vehicle able to place a satellite in orbit. The first successful orbital launch using the Safir launch system took place on 2 February 2009 when a Safir carrier rocket placed the Omid satellite into an orbit with a apogee.
The Simorgh is a larger launcher based on Safir technology, and sometimes called the Safir-2.

Kavoshgar

A sub-orbital test flight, named Kavoshgar-1, was conducted on 4 February 2008, as announced by state-run television. A launch on 25 February 2007 may also have been of the same type. The first flights carried instruments to measure the higher atmosphere. The rocket launched on 4 February 2008 was a liquid-propellant-driven rocket, probably a derivative of the Shahab-3, that reached an altitude of 200–250 km in space, and successfully returned science data according to the Iranian News Agency.
On 19 February 2008, Iran offered new information about the rocket and announced that Kavoshgar-1 used a two staged rocket. The first stage separated after 100 seconds and returned to earth with the help of a parachute. The second stage continued its ascent to an altitude of 200 kilometres. However it was not intended to reach orbital velocity.
Earlier reports by the Iranian News Agency suggested that Kavoshgar-1 used a three staged rocket with the first stage separating after 90 seconds and the rocket reaching an orbit between 200 and 250 kilometres.
The successful development and launch of a sounding-space-rocket was already announced a year earlier, on 25 February 2007. It is unknown if the sounding rocket launched on 25 February 2007 and the rocket launched on 4 February 2008 are of the same type.

Launch history

Safir has made seven launches so far, putting 4 satellites into orbit.
Flight No.Date & Time PayloadTypeOutcomeRemarks
117 August 2008Unknown; may be boilerplateSafir-1US defense officials claimed the vehicle failed after first-stage powered flight; Iranian officials claimed that the launch was a suborbital test carrying a boilerplate satellite.
22 February 2009OmidSafir-1First successful orbital launch of Safir making Iran the ninth country to develop an indigenous satellite launch capability.
315 June 2011RasadSafir-1ARasad-1 was launched on the maiden flight of the Safir-1B with increased thrust.
43 February 2012NavidSafir-1BNew configuration of the Safir carrier rocket, featuring a larger second stage with 20% more thrust.
5Between 18 May and 21 June 2012UnknownSafir-1B+Satellite imagery shows a blast scar on launch pad, suggesting that there has been a launch. No officials have confirmed a launch. It may have been either an engine test or rocket failure at high altitude.
62 February 2015FajrSafir-1B+First Iranian satellite with orbital maneuverability using cold-gas thrusters.
75 February 2019Doosti Safir-1B+The Deputy Minister of Defense in Iran claimed a successful launch. Research associates at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies claimed the launch failed at some point after liftoff.
829 August 2019Nahid 1Safir-1B+Launch preparation accident.