DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Satellite images appear to show the smoldering remains of a rocket at an Iranian space center that was to conduct a U.S.-criticized satellite launch.
The satellite pictures were taken Thursday morning of the Imam Khomeini Space Center in Iran's Semnan province.
The photos show black smoke and part of a painted launch pad apparently scorched away.
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![This Aug. 9, 2019, satellite image shows activity at the Imam Khomeini Space Center in Iran's Semnan province.](https://www.militarytimes.com/resizer/Du4tlzEm_S26gNQW8SVqPmqLL4U=/800x0/filters:format(jpg):quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/archetype/GPXWP4WQ5JBW5DZ7GR6ZC4H5XM.jpg)
David Schmerler, a senior research associate at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, told The Associated Press: "Whatever happened there, it blew up and you're looking at the smoldering remains of what used to be there."
NPR first reported on the satellite images.
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Iran was to launch the Nahid-1 satellite in the coming days. There had been activity at the space center in recent days.
There was no immediate reaction from Iran.
![A failed Iranian rocket launch is seen Aug. 29, 2019, at the Imam Khomeini Space Center in northern Iran.](https://www.militarytimes.com/resizer/EgZz3Cpq64zYIYV3DJ3vbbS7Mg8=/1440x0/filters:format(jpg):quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/archetype/4DDPSZIBIFD3VNMTDJWZYLYJLU.jpg)
![A failed Iranian rocket launch at the Imam Khomeini Space Center in northern Iran](https://www.militarytimes.com/resizer/sDsWZfXKyuf2XXvoX--NklIWF5E=/1440x0/filters:format(jpg):quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/archetype/LLUMGXEU7FDEXH5D66UCPCFHVE.jpg)