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Iran Space Program Update
Posted September 6, 2012

Iran Space Program Update by Henk H.F. Smid

Considering the changes in the Iranian space organization during the last decade, it was amazing to find a complete stand of the Iranian Space Agency (ISA) at the exhibition of the International Astronomical Congress in Cape Town last fall. This kind of openness was not in concert with the organizational changes that were signified by the more military control of the space scene and space organizations in Iran during the last five years.

The ISA, founded in 2004, originally was set up in the form of an autonomous civil organization. It was mandated to follow and implement the strategies authorized by the Space Supreme Council and over time, through a series of decisions taken by the Council of Ministers of Iran and the Guardian Council, became the highest authority responsible for space affairs. However, being in charge of the space program apparently necessitated control of knowledge and research, cumulating in ISA annexing space related institutes. This led to successive program leadership with a military background and specific tasks were transferred from the private and civil sector to military control.

Since 2010, institutes affected by these developments were the Space Research Institute, the Aerospace Research Institute and the Engineering Research Institute. Academic sources in Iran speak of the presence and penetration of members of the Guardian Corps of the Islamic Revolution (which is a non-civilian organization) in the decision-making and operational levels of these institutes and the ISA. Furthermore, the public non-availability of (remote sensing) products of Iran's satellites in space, either point at payload failures of these satellites, or military secrecy and control. The non-availability of news by the local media about failed launches enhances the perceived military control as described.

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