Recent Activity
Soraya satellite reached ~750 km orbit on Qaem-100 solid-fuel rocket in January 2024 — highest-altitude Iranian launch to date; multiple Pars-1, Mahda, Keyhan-2 satellites deployed 2024-2025.
Investor Brief
Sovereign launch capability for civilian and military payloads despite comprehensive Western sanctions. Zero commercial-investor relevance due to sanctions regime; included for completeness as one of only nine nations with indigenous orbital capability.
Ownership
Parent Entity
Regulatory Regime
Latitude Advantage
Launch Azimuth Range
Country
🇮🇷Iran
Region
Middle East
Established
2,008
Launches / Year
13
Years Active
18
Strategic Position
35.2346° N, 53.9210° E
Azimuth: Southeast to east azimuths over Afghanistan/Pakistan deserts and Indian Ocean
35.2°N — moderate latitude with no significant inclination advantage; primarily political/sovereignty driven site choice
About
Semnan Space Center (also known as Imam Khomeini Spaceport) is Iran's primary orbital launch facility located in the desert of Semnan province. Iran achieved orbital capability in 2009 when it launched the Omid satellite on a Safir rocket. The facility is operated jointly by the civilian Iranian Space Agency and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force, the latter of which conducts solid-fuel Qased launches from a separate adjacent military site. Heavy international sanctions — US Treasury OFAC, EU restrictive measures, and UN Security Council Resolution 2231 — restrict all foreign commercial engagement and dual-use technology transfer.
Key Features
Iran's primary orbital launch facility in the central desert
Supports Safir, Simorgh (liquid) and Qased / Qaem (IRGC solid-fuel) launch vehicles
Iran became the ninth country to achieve indigenous orbital launch capability
Launch trajectories over sparsely populated desert areas
Dual civilian-military complex with IRGC Aerospace Force operating adjacent pads
Rockets That Launch Here
Companies Operating Here
Orbit Types
Notable Launches
Omid (2009) — Iran's first satellite, launched on Safir rocket
Fajr satellite (2015) — First Iranian satellite to send back telemetry
Noor-1 (2020) — First IRGC military satellite via Qased solid-fuel rocket
Noor-3 (2023) — IRGC military reconnaissance satellite
Soraya (2024) — Highest-altitude Iranian satellite to date, ~750 km on Qaem-100
Recent Launches From This Site
Most recent missions flown from Semnan Space Center
- Simorgh | UnknownIranian Space AgencyFailure
- Simorgh | Mahda, Keyhan-2 & Hatef-1Iranian Space AgencySuccess
- Simorgh | Fakhr-1 & Saman-1Iranian Space AgencySuccess