This post is from January 2010. Facts and links may have changed since. See more from that month

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On the Road with Safir/Omid

Iran is justifiably proud of its satellite launch last February. After all, both North and South Korea failed in their satellite attempts in that same year. It appears from images that are starting to show up on the web—pointed out to me by the ever observant Wonk-Reader Tal Inbar—that they have taken the show given to President Ahmadinejad at the Iranian Space Center on the road. These images show new and revealing details of both the Safir/Omid system and some indication of the quality of workmanship that goes into it. The image above is another image of the back of the Safir’s second stage engine platform showing more about how the turbopump is enclosed. Compare it to the image shown here, which shows more of the turbopump. The very frail looking “flaps” are light-weight baffles to prevent the fuel from sloshing about particularly during staging. Other images show what appear to be drain holes to the fuel tanks, a new telemetry dish antenna, and several nice views of the first stage engine (and are those indigenously produced components laid out on little pedestals?) Any help translating the Farsi on any and all these images would be gratefully appreciated!

Geoff Forden

Writing on ACW 2008–2010

Dr. Forden has been at MIT since 2000 where his research includes the analysis of Russian and Chinese space systems as well as trying to understand how proliferators acquire the know-how and industrial infrastructure to produce weapons of mass destruction.

All posts by Geoff Forden