Simorgh was not a failure. Iran just didn't have a test stand to test engines in vacuum, so they launched Simorgh into space to check how engines work in vacuum and if they fail, correct next version of Simorgh based on telemetry data.
So they made vacuum tests of engines in real space launches due to lack of a vacuum test stand.
Hope they got enough telemetry data from previous "failures" to make Simorgh work next time.
Engines didn’t fail due to vaccum of space. The payload never reached proper velocity thus did not make insertion. That is directly due to weak 2nd stage.
Add in the fact you are using a 4x cluster of no-dong for first stage. You have multiple failure points in the design.
The entire problem with Iranian space program from 2008-2020 was lack of powerful engines. Only now are “newer” engines coming out. But payload weight is still severely lacking.
By 2028 Iran’s space program will be 20+ years old and it may very well still be stuck launching micro sats into LEO.
A far cry from Ahmadinejad’s human sub orbital flight by 2018. (These plans were cancelled after projected costs for such a program would cost 15-20B dollars)
So unless there is a major breakthrough in next 5 years by ISA, all hope lies on IRGC who is also on a slow timeline (but much faster than ISA).
Funding is def an issue. The cost of building larger more powerful SLVs cost money and Iran simply does not have the extra $$$ to throw at a space program. Notice all the major countries with major space programs have MUCH larger economies than Iran (EU, USA, China, India, Russia, Japan).
It’s a shame because space race will set the tone for next 250+ years. If you’re a country that will have to rely on others to launch your satellites and go to the moon and explore the solar system then you will be at a huge disadvantage for space mining. Which is going to be trillions of dollars of resources locked up in asteroids, moons, and other objects.
Iran will eventually need to devote major resources to space by 2040 if it doesn’t want to fall too far behind China-Russia-India who are trying to catch up to US and it’s private space sector.
