Feb 4 - Iran reports launch of small satellite into orbit

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran successfully launched a new small satellite into orbit early Friday, state media reported, the latest in the country's ambitious space program that has raised concerns because of its possible military applications.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called in to the launch site, saying he was "hopeful this act will send a signal of more friendship among all human beings," the state IRNA news agency reported.

IRNA said the domestically manufactured satellite, Navid, or Gospel, was designed to collect data on weather conditions and monitor for natural disasters.

It said the satellite weighs about 110 pounds (50 kilograms) and would orbit Earth at an altitude of up to 234 miles (375 kilometers), circling the planet 15 times a day. It's a type of spacecraft known as a microsatellite, which is cheaper to produce and allows for less costly launch vehicles.

Navid, produced at an Iranian engineering university, is the third small satellite that Iran launched over the past years and is expected to remain in orbit for about two months. The two earlier satellites — Omid, launched in 2009, and Rasad, sent into orbit in June 2011 — lasted three weeks and 82 days, respectively. IRNA said Navid has advanced control technology, a higher-resolution camera and photocells to generate power.

The satellite was sent into orbit by a launch vehicle dubbed Safir, or Ambassador in Farsi, which IRNA described as having 20 percent more launch power compared with earlier versions of satellite launch vehicles.

An Iranian website, Irannuc.ir, claimed that Safir could be converted into an intercontinental ballistic missile. State TV showed footage of the launch, with a rocket sent off and turning into a light point in the darkness of the skies.

Advertise | AdChoicesAdvertise | AdChoicesAdvertise | AdChoicesIran's decade-old space program has raised alarms in the West, because the same technology that allows missiles to launch satellites can be used to fire warheads.

Israel, the U.S. and others charge that Iran is trying to develop nuclear weapons, a charge Tehran denies, insisting that its nuclear enrichment program is geared only for peaceful purposes, such as energy production.

Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi and the country's minister of science and technology, Kamran Daneshjoo, were present at the launch, IRNA said. There was no independent confirmation or details about where the launch took place.

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Space voyages shouldn't be politically incorrect Check out the Red Planet's craziest colors NASA flooded with astronaut applications Iran has made a series of claims in recent years about advances in its space program, which have not been verified by others. In 2010, Tehran announced it had successfully launched a rocket carrying a mouse, turtle and worms into space.

Also, Iran has set a goal of putting a man in orbit within 10 years, despite the expense and technological challenges involved.

The authorities are intent on showcasing the nation's technological successes as signs Iran can advance despite the West's sanctions over its controversial nuclear program. Iran is also pressing ahead with its military missile program, frequently testing missiles that would be capable of reaching Israel, U.S. bases in the Gulf and parts of southeast Europe.

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Iran reports launch of small satellite into orbit - TODAY Tech - TODAY.com

they are constantly developing, testing and flaunting missles that could attack most western countries and are heavily suspected/known to have intentions to develop a nuke, yet this is still all bull!!?


my oh my

two months.... they gotta long way to go... to stay ahead of haarp.. but they are trying to get there...

warmongers will go nutz off this...

Keep smokin, dopey

Keep your ignorant comments to yourself, if you follow media propaganda and believe all there stupid hogwash. Let that !! stay in your head and don't spread crap like that.

Do some research.
Better yet learn to read.

The guy is !!ing retarded. Don't waste your time addressing him.

Iranians stated on their own national news of testing n flaunting their new missiles when we threatened to impose sanctions. I read and research all the time + have first hand knowledge from being a traveller and having multi racial friends, what do you have on top of that?


If im so retarded and you are so enlightened and intellectual, prove to me that im wrong. IF you give me straight up facts that are verifiable then I will accept that i am wrong. But you havnt. Until then from my own experiences I believe in my opinion.


edit; And I did read, all of it. my reasoning for bringing up missles as my post was because of the fact the Iranians themselves have stated it COULD be converted to use ballistic missiles.

Better yet, if i am so dopey and ignorant, prove me wrong so if someone thinks i am right you can save them from the humiliation.

the iranians themselves could announce they have nukes, demonstrate their nukes, and people here would still say this is all fear mongering or misinformation by the united states and/or israel.

whens the last time Israel has done anything positive for the U.S? I cant think of any times.

I suggest you guys watch the documentary about the zionist regime from a guy who goes there for months to investigate and you will see how ignorant people are over there. Ill find a link