By BlueShift | 2025-04-14

Iran's newest space base, the Chabahar Spaceport, is nearing completion after repeated delays and years of underwhelming progress in the country's space program.

First announced in 2010, and initially slated to open this past February, the facility remains under construction.

Iranian Space Agency (ISA) director Hassan Salarieh announced April 1 that Phase 1 of the Chabahar Spaceport -- for solid fuel launchers -- will be inaugurated within the current Persian calendar year, which started March 21.

In Phase 2 -- for semi-heavy liquid fuel launchers -- the launch site is expected to open for launches of foreign countries' satellites, Salarieh said, according to Iranian state-owned Press TV.

Tehran hopes the facility will bolster its satellite deployment and orbital launch capabilities -- despite a history marked more by failed launches than by consistent success, the US Army's Foreign Military Studies Office (FMSO) reported, citing an article in BultanNews, a conservative Iranian website.

Once operational, Chabahar will be Iran's third space base. The ISA operates the Imam Khomeini Spaceport, while the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) operates the Shahroud Space Center, according to the FMSO.

Chabahar's promise

Described by the IRGC-affiliated Tasnim News Agency as a potential hub for international satellite launches, Chabahar is being framed as both a national achievement and a revenue-generating asset.

Its location in southeastern Iran, just 25° north of the equator, allows for more energy-efficient equatorial launches -- a key advantage for heavier payloads, according to Iran Watch, a news site that tracks Tehran's unconventional weapons capabilities.

Outside of signaling Iran's desire to be a major player in the global space industry, the base is intended to address longstanding limitations in Iran's existing launch infrastructure.

Rockets such as the Soroush series require launchpad assembly and exceed the size capabilities of current facilities, Iran Watch reported. In addition, Chabahar may support the use of cryogenic propellants, which need low-temperature storage -- a capability not yet publicly available at Iran's other sites.

Chabahar's proximity to major trade routes in the Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf adds a commercial dimension to its strategic relevance, potentially opening the door to partnerships with foreign space programs, the report added.

Failures and successes

Despite its ambitions, Iran's space program has long been plagued by high-profile failures.

Its flagship Simorgh rocket suffered five straight failed launches between 2017 and 2021, casting doubt on the program's technical maturity.

In January 2024, the tide appeared to turn. Iran celebrated its first successful orbital launch of the Simorgh, which placed three satellites -- Mahda, Kayhan-2 and Hatef-1 -- into orbit. State media described Mahda as a research satellite, Kayhan as focused on global positioning and Hatef as a communications nanosatellite.

Since then, Iran has launched another Simorgh rocket, carrying its heaviest payload yet of 300kg.

The launch early last December occurred at the Imam Khomeini Spaceport. It carried what Iranian state media described as an "orbital propulsion system" and two research systems into low Earth orbit. It also placed a military Fakhr-1 satellite in orbit.

While these recent achievements mark progress, observers remain cautious.

Missile-capability concerns

The United States has voiced growing concern over Iran's space program, citing dual-use technologies.

In its 2023 global threat assessment, the US intelligence community explicitly named the Simorgh program as a risk, warning that advances in satellite launch vehicles could shorten the timeline for Iran to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile.

With these recent successes, Iran is seen as likely to continue pushing for more advancements in both its military and civilian space programs.

Still, the country's satellite capabilities remain underdeveloped, limiting its reconnaissance capabilities.

In April 2020, the IRGC's Shahroud facility launched the country's first military satellite -- a move that triggered international alarm and raised questions about the true intent of Iran's space investment.