skyshadow
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Last launch of Simorgh SLV was July 2017 (18 months ago), it had no payload and the second stage failed. This launch carried a 100kg satellite and the first and second stage worked (i.e. they fixed the problem with the second stage), only the third stage didn't work fully.
This was the first launch of Simorgh was a satellite payload and it looks like 2/3 stages worked perfectly! For only the second orbital launch of Simorgh SLV (and first with a payload) I think that's quite good.
Next launch of Simorgh SLV (hopefully with another 100kg satellite) is scheduled for August 2019. If that succeeds then Iran will have successful SLV with ability to send 100kg payload into LEO with totally indigenous technologies!
Simorgh is also capable of 350kg payloads, so within 2-4 years we should see bigger payloads using Simorgh, and that does not even include the planned Sarir SLV.
Resolution of Iranian satellites is also making big progress, Payam satellite (the one that failed) had a resolution of 45m. Pars-1 (Soha) satellite is already completed with 15m resolution sensor and Pars-2 and Pars-3 (with 2m resolution) are planned for the coming years.
To compare: Omid satellite sent into LEO in 2009 was 30kg and had image resolution of 500-1000m, so if we can send Payam-2 to LEO in 2019 that is progress of 30kg-->100kg and 1000m-->45m resolution in 10 years. That is not even fully accurate because we had such abilities for a long time, only lacked the political will and funds to actually do the test launches! Hopefully if this fixes we can have more launches and this progress will become faster and in 10 years who knows where we will be!
India started their SLV programme in 1979 and didn't send a 100kg satellite into LEO until 1994 (and that was with a lot of US help). Also, India had 3 consecutive failed launches until the 4th attempt succeeded! In 1979 we had nothing, we didn't even have a Space Agency until 2004! At peak Iran's budget for space agency was around $80 million, now it around $8 million! For such a low budget it is a miracle they can even maintain the space centre let alone launch huge SLVs like safir with 100kg satellites!
How many countries have fully indigenous technology to do this all by themselves, especially while brutal sanctions aim to topple their country?
Before 1970s Iran was extremely poor and under-developed, then from 70s the shah laid the framework for societal development but the focus was on economy not self sufficient military (or self sufficient anything). Then Saddam invaded Iran in 1980 and Iran was engaged in a brutal and expensive war until 1988, then Iran had to rebuild the economy and country whilst under US sanctions, and only since 1990s did Iran really start self sufficiency programs, from basic things like mines to guns and now to tanks and radars and SLVs.
The progress hasn't been as fast as we would like but even with sanctions in 10-15 years it is very reasonable that Iran can have a fully indigenous GEOINT capability!
@skyshadow @Tokhme khar @Hack-Hook please let me know if I made any mistakes in what I wrote!
Thanks for the points that you noted. we had ( 10 m ) resolution nearly ten years ago with sharif satellite.
ماهواره شريف ست قرار است در مدار ژئو و در ارتفاع 350 تا 500 كيلومتري از زمين قرار گيرد و تصاويري با دقت 10 متر را تهيه و به ايستگاه زميني ارسال كند.
https://www.yjc.ir/fa/news/4649242/از-ماهواره-شريف-ست-چه-ميدانيد