Iran Connections Justify Denying Space Launch Award, Court Says

June 8, 2026, 3:25 PM UTC

The US Air Force reasonably found that ties to Iran required denying a space launch software contract to Kayhan Space Corp., an autonomous space flight services company, the US Court of Federal Claims said in an opinion released Monday.

The Air Force properly justified its determination that an award to Kayhan would pose a national security risk because of co-founders’ links to Iran, including their attendance at an educational institution linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Judge Eleni M. Roumel said. The court issued its judgment under seal May 28.

Roumel also said Kayhan didn’t establish that the Air ...

Learn more about Bloomberg Law or Log In to keep reading:

See Breaking News in Context

Bloomberg Law provides trusted coverage of current events enhanced with legal analysis.

Already a subscriber?

Log in to keep reading or access research tools and resources.