|
Iran's first space launch vehicle "Safir IRILV"
Norbert Brügge, Germany
Update: 29.02.2012
|
|
TEHRAN, 2008,
Feb. 4 -- Iran launched probably their first space launch vehicle
"Safir IRILV" and revealed the Iranian launch site nearby Semnan
to be used for launching satellites into LEO. The launch site involves an underground
control station and launch pad to be used to fire an Iranian satellite into
space.
The Iranian press presents first photos of the new SLV and their propulsion.
The named Safir IRILV (Islamic Republic of Iran Launch Vehicle) is standing
on the Space Industries Group Center in Tehran.
The confusion is great in the world-press because the messages and pictures
from the Iran are contradictory to the launch. The presented videos are probably
old. They show the launch of the sounding rocket Kavoshgar from February 2007.
The Kavoshgar is based on Shahab-3M missile.
On this day Iran launched probably the first time their space launch vehicle.The
Safir IRILV had with high probability a unknown satellite on board (not Omid !). The probability is high, that Iran on the occasion of the anniversary
of the revolution had the ambition, to transport a satellite in an orbit. The
launch was not shown. But meanwhile there are pictures and video-sequences
of a Safir rocket with AIO-logo on the launch site. The launch has failed evidently.
The surprise was great. The two-stage rocket Safir IRILV is composed of a first
stage Ghadr-II (similar Nodong++)
and a shorter second stage of equal diameter of 1.25 m. It is said that the
Safir IRILV has a length of 22 meters and weighs 26 tons.
The second stage is a liquid propellant stage, which is propelled by two small
engines. They are two single engines with nozzle extension.
The engines are similar to a small Soviet Vernier engine. The partially application
of the Soviet R-27 SLBM technology
is recognizable. The turbopump and their arrangement is similar to the Soviet
R-27 Vernier turbopump.
TEHRAN, 2008,
Aug. 16 -- Iran says, it successfully launched its two-stage rocket Safir
IRILV to transport a dummy (??) of a satellite in orbit. The test-satellite
is named "Omid". The satellite built by Iranian scholars is the
first domestically-made satellite to be set at a low earth orbit.
Probable this was the next however not successful attempt to transport a satellite
(first Omid) in the orbit. Up to now no data of the orbit were made known.
However there were shown new details of the rocket and from the lift-off itself.
TEHRAN, 2009,
Feb. 3 -- Iran has sent its first home-built satellite into orbit,
Iran's English-language satellite news channel Press TV reported. The Omid
lightweight telecommunications satellite was sent into space by the Iranian-produced
satellite carrier Safir IRILV, the report said. Equipped with two frequency
bands and eight antennae, Omid will transmit information to and from earth
while orbiting the planet 15 times an hour, Press TV said. The satellite is
also equipped with remote sensing, satellite telemetry and geographic information
system technology, as well as remote and ground station data processing.
The first Iranian satellite was launched into orbit on a southeastern trajectory.
Two objects are in orbits of 245 - 378 km; 55.51 deg and 245 - 439 km; 55.6
deg. One is presumably the Omid payload and the other the Safir rocket final
stage, but it's not clear yet which is which. The Iranian News Agency calls
the launch vehicle Safir-2. Pictures of the launch show "Safir - Omid (2) IRILV"
painted on the side of the rocket. However is it probably the third Safir launch.
The first vehicle "HUS.0001" was launched under another logo.
|
|
The launch 2008, Feb. 4 |
|
First Safir IRILV on the Space Industries
Group center in Tehran
|
|
|
Iran launched probably the first time their space launch vehicle. The Safir
IRILV (HUS.001) had with high probability the a satellite on board (not Omid
!). The probability is high, that Iran on the occasion of the anniversary
of the revolution had the ambition, to transport a satellite in an orbit.
The launch was not shown. But meanwhile there are pictures and video-sequences
of a Safir rocket with AIO-logo on the launch site. The launch has failed
evidently.
|
|
The first failed Safir launcher
(2008, Feb. 4)
Note: AIO logo as well as white painted tail and fins;
in the foreground UDMH-fuel containers (?)
|
|
|
|
The launch 2008, Aug. 16 |
|
|
|
|
Semnan space launch site: 35°14' 04"N
/ 53° 55' 20"E
|
Pre-launch
|
|
Safir IRILV at the launch-tower
|
|
The launch 2009, Feb. 3 |
|
|
Vehicle on launch pad
|
|
Launch vehicle
|
|
Images by Abbas Ghaderi on
FLICKR
|
|
|
|
|
Upper stage with fairing
|
|
|
Safir first stage rear
|
Safir rocket is ready
|
|
|
|
|
Lower part of the first stage tank
|
First stage upper part
|
|
Nose-cone
|
| Propulsion |
|
Nodong engine generate 32 t of thrust
(vac)
Combustion chamber injector plate
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Enclosure of the turbopump on tank bottom
the second stage
Second stage engines without nozzle extension
|
Turbopump second stage engine
Second stage engines with nozzle extension
and an extra nozzle on exhaust tube
|
|
|
|
|
in FARSI: SECOND STAGE SAFIR ENGINE
|
Rear of second stage: Engines
with their nozzle extensions
|
|
Sample calculation
|
Stage
|
Engine
|
Thrust s.l.
|
Isp s.l.
|
Thrust vac
|
Isp vac
|
Propellant
|
Burn time
|
Flow rate
|
Total Imp
|
|
-
|
-
|
kN
|
N*s/kg
|
kN
|
N*s/kg
|
|
tons
|
s
|
t/s
|
MN*s
|
|
1
|
Nodong
(1)* |
284.4 |
2422 |
313.8 |
2672 |
UDMH/AK-27 |
18.79 |
160 |
0.1174 |
50.2 |
| 2 |
LRE-4 (2) |
|
|
33.4 |
2746 |
UDMH/AK-27 |
3.28 |
270 |
0.0122 |
9.0 |
|
*
Nodong (= R-18 engine)
|
|
|
Thermal protection !
|
Key organizations
|
|
Next launches
|
go to: Safir main pages
|
|
Unknown (shown in a video)
|
TEHRAN, 2011, Jan. 31 -- Iran will showcase a range of rockets and satellites
during the Ten-Day Dawn celebrations, that start on February 2011.
Defence Minister Ahmad Vahidi said new Safir-1B rocket and Rasad and Fajr satellites would be unveiled during the
10-day celebrations. The Safir-1B rocket can carry a satellite weighing 50
kilogrammes into an elliptical orbit of 300 to 450 kilometres. The thrust of
the Safir-1B rocket
engine has been increased from 32 to 37 tons*).
*) Presumably new oxidizer N2O4
TEHRAN, 2011, June 15 -- Iran launched satellite
Rasad-1. Rasad-1 was tracked in a 243 - 292 km and 55.7° orbit along
with the second stage. The satellite, reported to weigh 15.3 kg.
TEHRAN, 2012, Febr. 03 -- Iran launched
the observation satellite Navid-ST into Earth orbit. "The Navid satellite
was launched successfully.... It will be placed into an orbit between 250 and
370 kilometres," IRNA quoted the head of Iran's Space Organisation, Hamid Fazeli,
as saying. The 50-kilogram satellite is meant to stay in orbit for 18 months,
sending back images. The satellite was sent into orbit by a launch-vehicle
dubbed Safir, which IRNA described as having 20 percent more launch
power, compared to earlier versions of satellite carrier missiles.
|
|
|
