Iran's Static, Dynamic Test Stand on the Semnan, Launch Site Infrastructure

© C. P. Vick 2010 All Rights Reserved

May 21, 2010,March 29, 2013

Iran has built on the Semnan, Missile & Space Test Range east of Tehran, Iran a duplicate of the North Korean combined static test firing and dynamic test stand in a classic fashion on a cliff hill side. The bench like facility is similar to that seen in the North Korean, Musudan-ri launch test infrastructure. It has all the standard characteristics of a typical Soviet era style and North Korean style booster static test stand that sits high above a hill side cliff area with a bridge backstop going to the bench part of the test stand. It also has a characteristic high flame deflector and long drainage basin. It is apparent that the Iranians have evidently developed a much more sophisticated large supporting infrastructure on this site than that utilized by North Korea.

The static dynamic test tower above the bench with its multi floor staircases on each side of the test tower appears to be about 13 meters wide and on the order of 18-20 meters tall. From its flat bench bridge height the test stand also appears to be 18-20 meters high with the flame bucket appearing to extend out much further to about 170 meters. This is the information obtained by HIS Jane’s from the February 6, 2010 image of World View, Digital Globe and Geo-Eye image of the Semnan test launch and support infrastructure which also serves as an artillery test training range.

This facility is not a launch pad because it does not follow the Chinese derived North Korean design launch facility design layout. It is not tall enough to support the Simorgh-3 derivation launch vehicle designs which would require an additional 10 meter tower height not built. No launch facility built by Iran or North Korea or China has such a height in its characteristic design except in their static test firing stands. The obvious North Korean static test stand design infrastructure in the Iranian design is self evident in the attached illustrations.

Sketch details of the Semnan static dynamic test stand.

© C. P. Vick 2010 All Rights Reserved

The completed Simorgh-3 static/dynamic test stand with the beginning earth works foundation for a second possibly upper stage static test facility set next to within this infrastructure.

© C. P. Vick 2013 All Rights Reserved

 

Google Earth imagery of the Semnan range static test facility

Tehran’s Engine Development & Systems Static Test Firing Stands

Comparing the No-dong-A far right below the upper right side firing test stand for the No-dong-B on the far right of the image in addition to the newer side firing Simorgh-3 engine cluster and systems static test stands on the lower left of the Google Earth image is considerable smaller than the much larger Semnan range static test stand that mimics the North Korean equivalent facility.