Omid launch likely to stoke western fears of missile capabilities
Iran today claimed it had broken into the global space race after launching the country's first domestically produced satellite into orbit, in a move that will intensify western fears over its missile capabilities.
State television showed footage of the Omid (Hope) satellite being sent into space in a launch clearly timed to mark the 30th anniversary celebrations of the 1979 Islamic revolution.
"In another achievement for Iranian scientists under sanctions, Iran launched its first homemade Omid satellite into orbit," an Iranian TV report said. "It was carried into orbit by Iran-made satellite carrier Safir."
The reports said the Omid was equipped with experimental satellite control devices and power supply systems and was designed for gathering information and testing equipment.
The Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, hailed the launch as a historic event aimed at "expanding monotheism, peace and justice". He said the satellite, which he claimed had telecommunications capabilities, had reached its orbit and had made contact with ground stations, although not all of its functions were active yet.
The launch drew criticism from the Obama administration, with a White House spokesman expressing "acute concern".
"Efforts to develop missile delivery capability, efforts that continue on an illicit nuclear program, or threats that Iran makes toward Israel, and its sponsorship of terror are of acute concern to this administration," the spokesman, Robert Gibbs, said.
While Tehran insists the satellite will enable it to improve phone and internet technology and to track natural disasters, western analysts have warned that it would create the capacity to launch intercontinental ballistic missiles.
Today's launch makes Iran the 11th country to put a satellite into orbit since the Soviet Union launched the first in 1957.
It comes almost exactly a year after Iran launched the Kavosh-I (Explorer-1), a rocket capable of carrying satellites into space. That event, which also marked the opening of an Iranian space centre at an undisclosed desert location, was condemned as "unfortunate" by the US.
It was followed by months of careful rehearsals for today's event, which included the launch of a dummy satellite last August and the firing of a second rocket, the Kavosh-2, into space in November.
Iranian scientists have been working on a space programme for at least a decade. Early efforts involved co-operation with Russia. In October 2005, a Russian rocket launched Iran's first satellite, the Sina-1, which carried photographic and telecommunications equipment.
The announcement of the Omid's launch comes as officials from the US, Russia, Britain, France, Germany and China are due to meet near Frankfurt tomorrw to talk about Iran's nuclear program.
The group has offered Iran a package of incentives if it suspends uranium enrichment and enters into talks on its nuclear program. The UN Security Council has imposed sanctions to pressure Iran to comply.
Speaking at the African Union summit in Addis Ababa, Iran's foreign minister, Manouchehr Mottaki, insisted the country's new satellite was for "peaceful purposes" and said the western powers were intent on depriving it of the latest technological developments.
"Iran's satellite technology is for purely peaceful purposes and to meet the needs of the country," he said. "Satellites are a very essential means of gathering environmental data, climate data... and lots of necessary information that we need for technological, agricultural and economic projects," he said. "The difference between our country and some countries which have these capacities is that we believe science belongs to all humanity. Some people believe that advanced technologies belong to some countries exclusively.
"In Iran's history, in the last 100 years, you cannot point to aggression by Iran against any nation. Iran's people are peace-loving - they want peace with all countries around the world."
State television showed footage of the Omid (Hope) satellite being sent into space in a launch clearly timed to mark the 30th anniversary celebrations of the 1979 Islamic revolution.
"In another achievement for Iranian scientists under sanctions, Iran launched its first homemade Omid satellite into orbit," an Iranian TV report said. "It was carried into orbit by Iran-made satellite carrier Safir."
The reports said the Omid was equipped with experimental satellite control devices and power supply systems and was designed for gathering information and testing equipment.
The Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, hailed the launch as a historic event aimed at "expanding monotheism, peace and justice". He said the satellite, which he claimed had telecommunications capabilities, had reached its orbit and had made contact with ground stations, although not all of its functions were active yet.
The launch drew criticism from the Obama administration, with a White House spokesman expressing "acute concern".
"Efforts to develop missile delivery capability, efforts that continue on an illicit nuclear program, or threats that Iran makes toward Israel, and its sponsorship of terror are of acute concern to this administration," the spokesman, Robert Gibbs, said.
While Tehran insists the satellite will enable it to improve phone and internet technology and to track natural disasters, western analysts have warned that it would create the capacity to launch intercontinental ballistic missiles.
Today's launch makes Iran the 11th country to put a satellite into orbit since the Soviet Union launched the first in 1957.
It comes almost exactly a year after Iran launched the Kavosh-I (Explorer-1), a rocket capable of carrying satellites into space. That event, which also marked the opening of an Iranian space centre at an undisclosed desert location, was condemned as "unfortunate" by the US.
It was followed by months of careful rehearsals for today's event, which included the launch of a dummy satellite last August and the firing of a second rocket, the Kavosh-2, into space in November.
Iranian scientists have been working on a space programme for at least a decade. Early efforts involved co-operation with Russia. In October 2005, a Russian rocket launched Iran's first satellite, the Sina-1, which carried photographic and telecommunications equipment.
The announcement of the Omid's launch comes as officials from the US, Russia, Britain, France, Germany and China are due to meet near Frankfurt tomorrw to talk about Iran's nuclear program.
The group has offered Iran a package of incentives if it suspends uranium enrichment and enters into talks on its nuclear program. The UN Security Council has imposed sanctions to pressure Iran to comply.
Speaking at the African Union summit in Addis Ababa, Iran's foreign minister, Manouchehr Mottaki, insisted the country's new satellite was for "peaceful purposes" and said the western powers were intent on depriving it of the latest technological developments.
"Iran's satellite technology is for purely peaceful purposes and to meet the needs of the country," he said. "Satellites are a very essential means of gathering environmental data, climate data... and lots of necessary information that we need for technological, agricultural and economic projects," he said. "The difference between our country and some countries which have these capacities is that we believe science belongs to all humanity. Some people believe that advanced technologies belong to some countries exclusively.
"In Iran's history, in the last 100 years, you cannot point to aggression by Iran against any nation. Iran's people are peace-loving - they want peace with all countries around the world."
Guardian
