WANA (Jul 24) – With the successful suborbital launch of the Ghased satellite carrier, Iran once again drew global attention to its advancing space ambitions. This latest launch signifies another critical milestone in a journey that began with the early Kavoshgar-1 (Explorer-1) missions. By leveraging low-cost yet strategically vital technical tests, Iran aims to establish a permanent presence in Earth orbit.

 

What is a Suborbital Test?

A suborbital test or suborbital launch involves sending a payload—typically a satellite carrier, experimental capsule, or technological demonstrator—into high altitudes without reaching the velocity or trajectory required to enter Earth’s orbit. In simple terms, the payload follows a curved flight path, reaching a high apogee before falling back to Earth, without completing a full orbit.

 

This type of test is crucial for evaluating launch dynamics and the performance of key systems under real atmospheric conditions, without the cost and risk associated with a full orbital mission.

 

Strategic Purpose of Suborbital Tests

Suborbital launches play a foundational role in the development of space technology. These tests enable engineers to assess critical components such as propulsion systems (solid or liquid), guidance and control mechanisms, structural integrity, stage separation systems, and communication and telemetry systems.

 

For countries like Iran, operating under international sanctions with limited access to external technological data, suborbital testing provides an indispensable path to self-reliance and technical validation.

 

Suborbital launches also test spaceports, ground communication systems, and operational team readiness, forming a bridge between laboratory research and orbital deployment.

Suborbital vs Orbital Launches

While orbital launches are designed to place a payload into Low Earth Orbit (LEO) or beyond, suborbital launches do not achieve sufficient horizontal velocity to sustain orbit. The purpose of suborbital tests is to validate early-stage capabilities, not to achieve orbital insertion.

 

In Iran’s case, suborbital tests serve as low-risk trials to identify and correct technical flaws, offering invaluable hands-on experience to its aerospace teams. This approach also trains operational crews and helps develop supporting infrastructure like tracking stations and recovery units.

 

Testing Satellite Subsystems in Real Conditions

  • Satellite missions depend on a wide range of subsystems, including:
  • Attitude and Orbit Control Systems (AOCS)
  • Power Systems (solar panels, batteries)
  • Communication and Data Transmission Units
  • Onboard Data and Command Handling Units (OBC)
  • Thermal Control
  • Miniature Propulsion Systems

 

Before an actual orbital mission, these components must be tested in space-like conditions. Since simulating space conditions in laboratories has limitations, suborbital flights provide an optimal testbed for these subsystems.

 

In the recent Ghased mission, for example, the focus was likely on testing specific subsystems in high-altitude, low-pressure, high-vibration environments, without risking a full satellite. This method is cost-effective and exposes components to near-space conditions for validation.

WANA - Chabahar Space Base

Chabahar Space Base. Social media/ WANA News Agency

Advantages of Suborbital Tests

  • Cost-efficiency: Far less expensive than full orbital missions.
  • Risk management: Failures don’t result in the loss of expensive satellites.
  • Real-condition testing: Enables simultaneous exposure of multiple subsystems to near-space conditions.

 

These tests act as intermediate development stages, more realistic than lab testing but less risky than orbital missions. Iran is systematically building a domestic quality assurance chain for space missions using these incremental launches.

 

Iran’s Recent Suborbital Launch History

Iran began leveraging suborbital tests in the early 2000s through its Kavoshgar rocket series to evaluate guidance, propulsion, and thermal systems. Here are notable suborbital tests in recent years:

 

“Saman” Orbital Transfer Block – October 2022

On October 4, 2022, Iran tested an engineering model of the Saman Orbital Transfer Block alongside a suborbital rocket. The system is designed to transfer satellites between different orbits. The test successfully validated subsystem performance at high altitudes, completing a critical development milestone. Saman uses advanced technologies found in only a few countries.

 

“Qaem-100” Solid-Fuel Launch Vehicle – December 2022

In December 2022, Iran’s IRGC Aerospace Force successfully conducted a suborbital flight of the Qaem-100, its first three-stage solid-fuel launch vehicle. The test evaluated the first-stage Raafe motor, which had passed ground tests earlier in January 2022. Qaem-100 is capable of placing 80-kg payloads into 500 km LEO.

Iranian satellite system named Qaem is displayed during the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps(IRGC) Aerospace Force Museum in Tehran, Iran, November 15, 2024. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia Press Agency)

“Kavous” Bio-Capsule – December 2023

After a decade-long pause, Iran relaunched its bio-capsule program with Kavous, a 500-kg capsule built by the Aerospace Research Institute for the Iranian Space Agency. The suborbital mission tested reentry systems, deceleration parachutes, aerodynamic design, environmental monitoring, and biological life support systems.

 

“Ghased” Suborbital Test – July 2025

The latest test, conducted on July 21, 2025, used the Ghased satellite carrier to evaluate newly developed space technologies. Though it wasn’t intended for orbital insertion, the data collected will enhance satellite performance and mission reliability.

 

Building Toward Independent Space Capability

Iran’s continuous stream of suborbital tests—from orbital transfer blocks and solid-fuel launch vehicles to bio-capsules and modular satellite subsystems—reflects a strategic, phased approach toward full-scale orbital operations. These efforts show a clear shift from early-stage experimentation to technical maturity and indigenous capability in spaceflight.

 

As Iran continues to refine its aerospace technologies, the suborbital phase remains a vital proving ground—paving the way for future orbital launches, satellite deployments, and potentially human spaceflight.