{"id":3035,"date":"2020-02-13T11:35:33","date_gmt":"2020-02-13T12:35:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/madaresharghi.ir\/en\/?p=3035"},"modified":"2020-02-13T12:07:10","modified_gmt":"2020-02-13T13:07:10","slug":"the-rise-and-fall-of-satellite-zafar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/madaresharghi.ir\/en\/the-rise-and-fall-of-satellite-zafar\/","title":{"rendered":"The Rise and Fall of Satellite Zafar"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"
Satellite Zafar <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Amid cries of Allah-o-Akbar, the Simorgh satellite launch vehicle blasted off from the Imam Khomeini Spaceport in central Iran, burning an afterimage into the spectators\u2019 retinas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\tGathered on a wind-blasted hilltop, several dozen people, including \nofficials and a motley group of journalists, watched as Simorgh SLV \nroared to life at 19:15 p.m. local time (1545 GMT) on Saturday, Feb. 9.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\tSimorgh was carrying satellite Zafar (Triumph in Persian and Arabic). \nIf successful, the mission would have been the first time the Islamic \nRepublic put a satellite into an orbit 540 km above the Earth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\tHowever, the launch failed. The rocket carried Zafar to an altitude of \n541 kilometers, but did not reach the 7,400 meters per second speed \nrequired for putting it into orbit. At the height of the mission, the \nSLV\u2019s speed went past 6,500 meters per second. Failing to deliver its \npayload, the rocket self-destructed and Zafar fell into the Indian \nOcean.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\tThe launch took place from the fortified Imam Khomeini Space Center, \nsouth of Semnan in the Dasht-e-Kavir desert. Two tents were pitched to \nshelter observers in the face of harsh winds blowing from the south.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\tA few minutes before the launch countdown, people were notified via \nloudspeakers that had just played Islamic recitations and the national \nanthem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\tParticipants, mostly men with few women journalists and government \nofficials among them, raced out of the tents and huddled behind a yellow\n barricade tape. They shuffled around to find a better vantage point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\tOne of the participants had come prepared with a pair of binoculars. He\n positioned himself in front of the group, brandishing the handheld \ndevice. Yearning to get the rare view of the rocket launch from close, \npeople beseeched him to lend them the vision enhancement device. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After handing over the binoculars, the guy teased that he should charge others for using the device but still continued to pass it around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\tThen the final call came. The crowd drew a sharp deep breath. The \ncountdown began and from the midst of the swirling white smoke, Simorgh \nlifted off. All eyes were on the white and blue rocket, as it dissolved \ninto the pitch-black night sky while its roar kept echoing on the \nhilltop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\tThe onlookers then dashed back to the tents where monitors linked with \nthe mission\u2019s control room were set up. The picture switched to a graph \ndetailing the rocket\u2019s altitude and speed with a voice reading the data.\n As the rocket soared and gained speed, people in the tent shouted \ncheers of approval.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\tHowever, the speaker\u2019s voice suddenly lost vigor and declared matter-of-factly, \u201cWe\u2019ve lost contact with the satellite.\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\tJubilant cries gave way to silent prayers, as worried eyes peered over the monitors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\tIn the other tent, ICT Minister Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi was on the\n phone. Encircled by bodyguards and close allies, he whispered in the \nreceiver, \u201cAnd the satellite? What about the satellite?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\tA shadow fell over his face and he rushed toward a motorcade that escorted him off the premises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\tUnexpected Visitor<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\n\tThe encampment gates closed behind Jahromi and his motorcade, leaving \nobservers stranded on the hilltop. The euphoria that dominated the \natmosphere a few minutes ago had given way to silent grief. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\tUnwilling to swallow the bitter truth, voices trailed off into uncertainty. Some tried to console others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\tA young aide to minister Jahromi, Effat Hayati, with her black eyes \nbright with tears said, \u201cFailures hold the seeds of future triumphs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\tAn official with Iran Space Agency tried to explain what had happened based on the limited information he had received.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\tLater, the gates opened and buses shuttled journalists and other spectators back to the space center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\tDuring the ride, participants stared at the full snow moon of February floating above the desert. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\tAfter a 30-minute drive from the hilltop, the passengers were to be \nreunited with their mobile phones at the entrance of the center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\tBefore reaching the gates, two white SUVs speeding from behind \nintercepted the bus carrying journalists. Jahromi got off one of the \nSUVs and climbed into the bus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\tTrying to keep his tone bright and wearing a weak smile, Jahromi \naddressed the passengers. He explained what had happened to the SLV and \nits payload, adding that he believes failures should be reported \ntransparently. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\tWhile disembarking from the bus, Jahromi said, \u201cSorry, the satellite didn\u2019t make it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\tSomeone from the back of the bus called out, \u201cMaybe next time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\tWith a bitter smile, Jahromi raised a fist in the air and responded, \u201cGod willing, God willing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\tAfternote<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\n\tBefore, during and after the launch, social media platforms frequented \nby Iranians became hotbeds of heated debate over the Islamic Republic\u2019s \nspace program. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\tSome users questioned the necessity of the program when Iran is facing \neconomic difficulties caused by sanctions and many can barely make ends \nmeet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\tOthers argued in favor of the program as a source of national pride and\n pointed to revenues that a successful space program might generate for \nthe country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\tThe same questions and arguments occupied the minds of journalists \ncovering the satellite launch. Many of them decided to focus on the news\n aspect of the event for now and cover the public discourse later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This article tried to be an unfiltered descriptive image of the launch and what people experienced at the site during those tense minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

by: Khosro Kalbasi<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Amid cries of Allah-o-Akbar, the Simorgh satellite launch vehicle blasted off from the Imam Khomeini Spaceport in central Iran, burning an afterimage into the spectators\u2019 retinas. Gathered on a wind-blasted hilltop, several dozen people, including officials and a motley group of journalists, watched as Simorgh SLV roared to life at 19:15 p.m. local time (1545 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3036,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[8,1,7],"tags":[28,1055,1054],"yoast_head":"\nThe Rise and Fall of Satellite Zafar - madaresharghi | An Analytical Look at Middle Eastern Developments<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/madaresharghi.ir\/en\/the-rise-and-fall-of-satellite-zafar\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Rise and Fall of Satellite Zafar - madaresharghi | An Analytical Look at Middle Eastern Developments\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Amid cries of Allah-o-Akbar, the Simorgh satellite launch vehicle blasted off from the Imam Khomeini Spaceport in central Iran, burning an afterimage into the spectators\u2019 retinas. 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