Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) conducted a suborbital test of its Qased satellite carrier on Monday, marking the first such launch since the June ceasefire with Israel.
The test, announced by the Tasnim news agency, did not involve deploying a satellite. The launch site was not disclosed, although Iran typically conducts such operations from IRGC-controlled facilities.
The Qased is a three-stage launcher using both solid and liquid fuel. First introduced in 2020, it has previously deployed military satellites, including Noor-2 and Noor-3.
According to the state-owned IRNA news agency, the launch aimed to “assess some emerging new technologies in the country’s space industry.” It said the test results will contribute to enhancing the performance of Iran’s satellites and space systems.
Today, we successfully conducted a suborbital test using the Qased satellite launch vehicle, aimed at evaluating a range of new technologies currently under development. pic.twitter.com/AF2fuxI4nB
— Iran Military Monitor (@IRIran_Military) July 21, 2025
Iran’s rocket tests have long raised concerns among Western officials, who warn that the same technology used for space launches could be repurposed for ballistic missile development.
“The same rocket that launches satellites can launch missiles; it’s the identical technology,” Yemeni-American policy analyst Fatima Al-Asrar told Iran International.
The test follows Operation Rising Lion, Israel’s June air campaign targeting Iranian missile sites.
The fighting between Israel and Iran led to significant losses on both sides, with nearly 1,100 Iranians and 28 Israelis killed.
