Safir Launch Vehicle Flight History by Variant/Year (1998-Present) Also includes Simorgh and Qaem-100 Last Update 12/31/2023 by Ed Kyle L(F) = Number of Launches(Number of Failures) Shahab 3C Safir Qased Simorgh Qaem-100 Orbit Grand (partial) 1(B) Totals Totals Year L(F) L(F) L(F) L(F) L(F) L(F) L(F) ------------------------------------------------------------------ 1990 - - - - - - - 1991 - - - - - - - 1992 - - - - - - - 1993 - - - - - - - 1994 - - - - - - - 1995 - - - - - - - 1996 - - - - - - - 1997 - - - - - - - 1998 1(1) - - - - - 1(1) 1999 - - - - - - - 2000 2(1) - - - - - 2(1) 2001 - - - - - - - 2002 2(0) - - - - - 2(0) 2003 1(0) - - - - - 1(0) 2004 - - - - - - - 2005 - - - - - - - 2006 1(0) - - - - - 1(0) 2007 - - - - - - - 2008 3(0)[f] 1(1) - - - 1(1) 4(1) 2009 - 1(0) - - - 1(0) 1(0) 2010 - - - - - - - 2011 - 1(0) - - - 1(0) 1(0) 2012 - 3(2)[a] - - - 3(2) 3(2) 2013 - - - - - - - 2014 - - - - - - - 2015 - 1(0)[e] - - - 1(0) 1(0) 2016 2(0) - - 2(1)[b] - - 4(1) 2017 - - - 1(1)[c] - - 1(1) 2018 - - - - - - - 2019 - 1(1)[d,e] - 1(1) - 2(2) 2(2) 2020 - - 1(0) 1(1) - 2(1) 2(1) 2021 - - - 1(1) - 1(1) 1(1) 2022 1(0)?[f] - 1(0) - 1(0)* 1(0) 2(0) 2023 - - 1(0) - 1(1) 1(0) 1(0) ------------------------------------------------------------------ Shahab 3C Safir Qased Simorgh Qaem-100 Orbit Grand (partial) 1(B) Totals Totals Kavoshgar[f] L(F) L(F) L(F) L(F) L(F) L(F) L(F) ------------------------------------------------------------------ Suborb 13(2) - - 2(1) 1(0) - 16(3) Orbit - 8(4) 3(0) 4(4) 1(1) 16(9) 16(9) Total 13(2) 8(4) 3(0) 5(4) 2(1) 16(9) 32(12) ------------------------------------------------------------------ Footnotes: Shahab 3C is a liquid fueled IRBM based on N. Korea's No Dong missile. It is likely that not all launches have been reported. Kavoshgar was a slighly modified Shahab 3C fired on a 2/4/2008 suborbital test flight to inaugurate Iran's new launch site in the Dasht-e-Kavir desert southeast of Semnan, Iran near 3 5.23 N, 53.92 E. The orbital Safir launch vehicle uses a modified Shahab 3C first stage topped by a new liquid second stage. A small solid third "kick" stage option may also be possible. Safir 1B, a slightly stretched variant, flew in 2012. Qased appeared to use a Shahab-3/Safir derived liquid fueled first stage, topped by a smaller diameter, possibly solid propellant second stage. A smaller solid propellant third stage, serving as an apogee kick motor, might have been housed within the payload shroud. BM-25 is four-engine single-stage IRBM, similar to N. Korea's Musudan stage. Simorgh uses BM-25 like first stage topped by smaller diameter second stage. Planned for orbital launches. Flies from new Khomeini launch center at Semnan. Comprehensive Launch [Failure] List Date Vehicle ID Payload Site Result ------------------------------------------------------------------ 02/04/08 Kavoshgar SE SUB 08/16/08 Safir IRILV-1 Omid 1 SE [FTO] 02/02/09 Safir IRILV-2 Omid 2 SE LEO 02/03/12 Safir 1B ERS2002 Navid-e Elm-o Sanat SE LEO 05/23/12 Safir 1B Fajr? SE [FTO][a] 09/22/12 Safir 1B Fajr? SE [FTO][a] 04/19/16 Simorgh MMSB001 SE 2 SUB [1] 07/27/17 Simorgh Test Flt SE 2 [FTO][2] 01/15/19 Simorgh 003 Payam SE 2 [FTO][3] 02/05/19 Safir Dousti SE [FTO] 08/26/19 Safir Nahid 1 SE [PAD] 02/09/20 Simorgh MRSC001 Zafar 1 SE 2 [FTO][4] 04/22/20 Qased Noor SH LEO [5] 12/30/21 Simorgh UKSC001 3-devices SE 2 [FTO][6] 03/08/22 Qased Noor 2 SH LEO[11] 09/27/23 Qased Noor 3 SH LEO[12] ------------------------------------------------------------------ Date Vehicle Flight/Failure Description Result ------------------------------------------------------------------ 02/04/08 Kavoshgar Suborb test. Some claim staging fail SUB 08/16/08 Safir Failed after stg 1 burn. [FTO] 02/02/09 Safir 1st Iranian orbital success LEO 02/03/12 Safir 1B LEO 05/23/12 Safir 1B [FTO][a] 09/22/12 Safir 1B [FTO][a] 04/19/16 Simorgh 2-Stg Suborb. test? SUB [1] 07/27/17 Simorgh Failed suborb or orbital attempt. [FTO][2] 01/15/19 Simorgh 3rd stg failure. Planned 600 km LEO. [FTO][3] 02/05/19 Safir Not acknowledged by Iran [FTO] 08/26/19 Safir Prelaunch propellant loading explosion [PAD] 02/09/20 Simorgh [FTO][4] 04/22/20 Qased LEO [5] 12/30/21 Simorgh Fell 300 m/s short of orbit [FTO][6] 03/08/22 Qased LEO[11] 09/27/23 Qased LEO[12] ------------------------------------------------------------------ [a] Assumes that two failures occurred that Iran did not announce during 2012. [b] One BM-25 failed suborbital. One successful Simorgh suborbital in 2016. [d] Does not include 08/26/19 Safir 1B prelaunch propellant loading pad explosion. [e] Safir 1b. [f] Kavoshgar, 1 each year. [1] Probable 2-stage suborbital test of Iran's Simorgh launch vehicle. Some claim test failed. Semnan (SE) launch site, Pad 2. [2] Probale 3-stage orbital test attempt. Stage 2 failure. [3] Stage 3 failure. No orbit. [4] Failed to orbit. Reached orbital altitude. Possible Stage 2 or 3 failure. [5] First Qased launch and first orbital launch from Shahrud Missile Test Site (SH) in the Central Desert of Iran. Launched from TEL on a concrete pad next to a large test stand. 425 km x 59 deg orbit. SH at lat=36.200560 N lng=55.333232 E [6] Reached 470 km and 7,350 meters per second, about 300 meters per second short of orbital velocity. Iran claimed all objectives achieved, but outside analysts believe it was a failed orbital try. [11] To 495 x 513 km x 58.3 deg orbit. [12] To 442 x 446 km x 93.57 deg orbit. FTO = Failed to Orbit SUB = Suborbital FSO = Failed Suborbital SE = Semnan Launch Site, Iran SH = Shahrud Missile Test Site References: Jonathan's Space Report Launch Vehicle Database "http://www.planet4589.org/space/lvdb/index.html" Encylopedia Astronautica "http://www.astronautix.com/" Gunter's Space Page "http://www.skyrocket.de/space"