Iran sends a rocket designed to carry satellites into a suborbital test flight

Key Points

• Iran conducted a suborbital test flight of its Ghased satellite carrier rocket, marking its first such launch since the June ceasefire after a 12-day war with Israel.
• Western officials say Iran’s satellite launch program advances Tehran’s ballistic missile capabilities.
• State media reported the test aimed to evaluate emerging new technologies to improve the function of the country’s satellites and space systems.
• The Ghased rocket, first introduced by the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard in 2020, uses both solid and liquid fuel and previously deployed a military satellite into orbit.

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran tested one of its satellite carrying rockets with a suborbital flight on Monday, state media reported, the first such test since a ceasefire was reached after a 12-day war waged by Israel against Iran in June, which also saw the United States strike nuclear-related facilities in the Islamic Republic.

The test was the latest for a program that the West says improves Tehran’s ballistic missiles.

A report by the official IRNA news agency said the Ghased satellite carrier test aimed at “assessing some emerging new technologies in the country’s space industry.” It said the test results will help improve the function of Iran's satellites and space systems.

The report did not provide any further details on the test flight or from where the rocket was launched.

Iran from time to time Iran launches satellite carriers to send its satellites to the space. Last September, Iran launched a satellite into space with a rocket built by the country’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard.

The Ghased, a solid and fluid fuel rocket, was first inaugurated in 2020 by the Guard when it put a military satellite in the orbit.

The war in June killed nearly 1,100 Iranians, including senior military commanders and nuclear scientist. Retaliatory missile barrages by Iran killed 28 in Israel.