Saman Orbital Transfer

2022: Announcement of the tug of satellites

On October 4, 2022, it became known about the launch of a space tug by Iran, which is capable of moving cargo and space satellites with different characteristics between orbits.

According to Iranian state media, the Saman Orbital Transfer test spacecraft was built by the Space Research Center (ISRC) and successfully launched on October 3, 2022 by the Iranian Ministry of Defense.

Iran unveils Saman Orbital Transfer tug

Hassan Salarieh, head of the Islamic Republic's space agency, told state television that officials "hope to use and test the tug in the near future." Iran introduced this device in 2017. Reportedly, during the launch process, tests of the space tugboat engine and motors generating derotation rotation were successfully completed.

As part of efforts to further expand domestic telecommunications technologies and satellite production, to launch into geostationary orbit, the development of the space tug has taken an important place in the ISRC work program, Salarieh said.

Iran has been implementing a space exploration program for a long time, arguing that it is intended for peaceful purposes. The country has both civilian and military space programs that the US believes can be used to develop a ballistic missile program.

In June 2022, Tehran launched a solid-fuel rocket into space, and in August 2022, the Iranian Khayyam satellite was successfully launched into orbit from a Russian rocket. The satellite is named after Omar Khayyam, a Persian scientist who lived in the 11th and 12th centuries.

In April 2020, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard revealed its own secret space program, which successfully launched a satellite into orbit. The Guard has its own military infrastructure in parallel with the regular army of Iran.^[1][2][3]

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Шаблон:Remarks