Iran Space Council (ISC), also known as the Supreme Space Council, was shut down during two terms of previous administrations, which led to halting the aerospace industry in the country, while it experienced a fast growth during the decade before the recent 10 years.
Of course, it should be mentioned that some players in aerospace industry of the country, including the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) succeeded in achieving breakthroughs in planning, manufacturing, and testing space engines as well as launching Nour-1 satellite, which was launched into orbit on 22 April 2020. This satellite reached an orbit of 425 kilometers above the surface of the Earth.
However, after 10 years, the Raisi administration held the first meeting of the ISC on November 25, 2021 just three months following the beginning of his tenure. President Raisi inspected an exhibition of Iran’s achievements in aerospace sector earlier that day; then, members of the Supreme Space Council discussed the current situation and future plans in the presence of the president.
Raisi emphasized that holding such a session indicates the incumbent administration is determined to develop aerospace industry, and that all different sectors active in the sector are expected to contribute to the development plan, which has been stressed by Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.
The president also warned that Iran should have a say in the aerospace industry in order to avoid moving forward in a path constructed by other players, adding that development in this sector would play a key role in deterring the enemies’ potential aggression.
Now just three months following the first meeting of the Supreme Space Council, the IRGC has successfully launched Nour-2 satellite into orbit. The satellite was launched at the velocity of 7.6 kilometers per second and was placed into an LEO orbit 500 kilometers above the earth’s surface some 480 seconds after the blast-off. The homegrown satellite was launched with a three-stage satellite carrier, dubbed Qased (Messenger), from a launch-pad in Dasht-e Kavir, a large desert in central Iran.
Development of homegrown satellite technology can help Iran to launch a satellite into an orbit of 36,000 kilometers, which was proposed by the Supreme Leader as a national objective.
Obviously, the resumption of development of the aerospace industry in the country has happened in the 13th administration in Tehran. President Raisi and other officials involved in the aerospace sector have joined forces to revitalize the industry, which was witnessing a 10-year-long hiatus and negligence.
So, the existing situation of the country’s aerospace industry may be comparable to an operation during the Iran-Iraq War between 27–29 September 1981, when Iranian military forces broke the Iraqi siege of Abadan city in Khuzestan Province because the new administration has been able to break the 10-year siege of the aerospace industry.
It seems that the Islamic country would see an increase of aerospace launches following removal of obstacles in developing launchers.
1424