Iran considering sending humans to space, minister says

Iran has begun discussing plans to send humans to space, according to a report by Iranian-state media Tasnim News published on Friday.

Iranian Communications Minister Isa Zarepour revealed plans for 2024 include “test[ing] the new generation of bio-capsules with the native Salman launcher. This year, we are also trying to have a space event in this area. If we reach our new capsule, which is about one ton, we can test it. 

“Let's do it...the capsule that was tested 10 years ago, I think it was 100 or 150 kilos, this capsule is about one ton, which can even carry a human, but at the moment, its initial tests are being done, we have a five-year plan to reach a certain point. We will be able to witness the presence of Iranian astronauts in space with the Iranian biological capsule or the Iranian launcher.”

Iran announced in December last year that it was developing plans to launch an astronaut into space in 2029, the Jerusalem Post reported.

Iran claims to be improving satellite cameras in coming launches

When asked by an interview, the Iranian minister said that “It seems that we reached a quorum in the field of satellite launch in  [2024] and broke this quorum. What is the situation from your point of view as the leader of this field?”  Zarepour responded that Iran had made significant progress in the space industry.

“It is probably because of you and dear people that in February 2007, we were able to successfully put the first satellite, the Omid satellite, into orbit with the Safir satellite carrier,” Zarepour said. “From [2008] to [2021], we had a total of 13 space launches, both operational and research. [F]rom December [2021], when we did the first launch until the end of [2023], we had about 12 space launches in these two years and two months. [F]rom December [2021] to March [2023], we have had as many as three governments since 12 years ago that space event which is unique in its kind.

“The [most successful] year was just last year, when we had six space launches and many satellites were put into orbit. Now, we are among the 10 countries that have the complete space cycle, which means we can build satellites and launch them into space with our own satellite launchers, through our own launch base, and through the ground stations that our young people designed and built - which were the first… They can receive spatial signals and more importantly, we can use this data in various industries to increase productivity and have various applications in people's lives.

“These days, in each of these five stages, we have progressed to some extent in our capabilities and technical knowledge, we are trying to upgrade, for example, now in the construction of satellites, we have satellites that work with an accuracy of less than 10 meters. Our goal is to increase accuracy this year and next year.

“Today, the Pars 1 satellite, which was 100% of our own production,[which had been] launched late last year, was the most complex satellite we have ever built. It has three cameras on it, one of which has a color accuracy of 15 meters. We are planning to increase its accuracy to one meter this year. We promise the accuracy of 5 meters to the dear people."

Iran claimed in February to have successfully launched a new satellite from Russia, according to the Post.

“In the next one or two months, we will launch a satellite that will make it zero to one hundred, which is one of the honors of the 13th government, which gave space to the private sector, knowledge companies were founded. We signed an image purchase contract with them, and they prepared zero to one hundred by themselves, it will be launched and we will have the accuracy of 5 meters there," Zarepour continued.

“In the horizon of [2028], we saw that we could accurately reach below one color meter of internal capability or in the area of ​​the satellite carrier. With the [achievements] that happened last year, we reached a 750 km orbit, orbits of about 400-500 km to about 2000 km, which is called Leo, low altitude orbits. Until now, we did not have fixed orbits in this layer, the launches we had done were research launches and practically, complete success was not achieved.

“For the first time this year, our satellite launchers, of course, had a [2022] launch, Noor 2 and Noor 1…but their weight was very low. For the first time, our satellite launcher came close to stabilization in the Leo layer. For now, we can place 200-300 kilos with Simorgh and with Qaim and Qased in the orbits of the Leo layer.

“Our plan is to go ahead and make it a few hundred kilos in the next two or three years. It is subject to many tests. Until now, we could carry up to 200-300 kilos, but today, we are building and designing the one-ton class. This year, it will be put into operation so that the satellites that are built can be assembled and tested there, and our launcher is also moving forward in parallel. Even our launch base needs to be upgraded. Our current launch bases cannot reach the orbit of the Sun. Now, we are building the largest space base in West Asia in our country, and by the grace of God, this year, our effort is to place the first launch from there. The first phase of this very big and promising international project will be opened this year and has three phases.”