Fajr (Dawn) Reconnaissance Satellite

Senior Technical & Space Policy Analyst

07-21-10 /03-07/17-11/ 12-13

Rev-2

After a two year delay Iran finally appears to be ready to launch its second satellite the Rasad-1. It was also suggested at about the same time that the launch of Rasad-1was discussed that it would be quickly followed by the launch of the Fajr (Dawn) reconnaissance post boost maneuvering remote sensing satellite. It is in fact the second RECSAT Iran has identified that it is developing. Tolou [Sunrise) Iran's primary future RECSAT is probably based on some of the technology to be tested in the Fajr prototype satellite launch in 2011. The The Fajr satellite is reportedly designed so it can maneuver from an elliptical orbit of 300-450 kilometers to a circular orbit of 450 kilometers giving the satellite a life expectancy 1.5 years. This will be launched by what amounts to a three stage Safir-1B booster with the last stage being the satellite payload together with its post boost propulsion package presumably built together.

Through 2012-2013 there appears to have been as many as three consecutive launch failures of the notoriously unreliable Safir-1B booster from Semnan launch center to deliver the Fajr RECSAT's to earth orbit after repeated promises of it immanent launch. Those Safir-1B suggested launch failures are said to have occurred on May 3, 2012 for Fajr-1, September 22, 2012 for Fajr-2 and February 17/18, 2013 for Fajr-3 with also questions on several predicted satellites through the rest of 2013.