Iran Shoots For The Stars

State-Run Media Reports Successful Launch Of Research Satellite Amid Doubts

(AP)  Iran launched a research rocket Monday and unveiled its first major space center that will be used to launch research satellites, state-run television reported.

The report said the rocket, which is capable of carrying a satellite, was the first launched by Iran "into space," but analysts have expressed doubts about similar technological achievements announced by the country in the past. Iran launched its first domestically built rocket last February, which soared to the edge of space but did not reach orbit level.

"The first Iranian rocket Explorer-1 was fired into space," state-run television reported Monday.

Space is considered to begin at 60 miles above the earth. Ham radio satellites - the lowest flying satellites - orbit between 100-300 miles, while communication, weather and global-positioning satellites fly between 250-12,000 miles up.

Monday's report did not specify the altitude reached by the research rocket, but state TV showed live images of the launch from the space center, with President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad issuing the launch order.

Some Western experts have raised the possibility that Iran's space program may be a cover to more fully develop its military ballistic missiles, a prospect many find troubling at a time when the U.S. and others fear Tehran is trying to develop nuclear weapons - a claim Iran denies.

"With the launch, Iran has joined the world's top 11 countries possessing space technology to build satellites and launch rockets into space," the television said.

Before the launch, Ahmadinejad opened Iran's first major space center, which includes an underground control station and space launch pad, according to state TV.

"We need to have an active and influential presence in space," Ahmadinejad said at the inauguration ceremony.

Ahmadinejad also unveiled the country's first domestically built satellite, called Omid, or Hope.

State TV said the satellite took ten years to build, and the official news agency IRNA reported that it would be launched into orbit sometime in roughly the next twelve months.

"The research rocket is part of preparations for the launch of a satellite into orbit," said IRNA.

Iranian officials have suggested that the rocket launched last February's was a "sounding rocket," built to soar to a maximum altitude of 93 miles and used to conduct high-altitude measurements and testing. It was not immediately clear if the rocket launched Monday was identical.

In 2005, Iran launched its first commercial satellite on a Russian rocket, in a joint project with Moscow, which appears to be the main partner in transferring space technology to Iran.

Iranian officials have said the country wants to launch a satellite on an indigenous rocket and indicated they are developing a Shahab-4 missile to do that. Iran's powerful ballistic missile, the Shahab-3, is believed to have a range of at least 800 miles, putting Israel and much of the Middle East in range. In November, Iran said it had manufactured a new missile, the Ashoura, with a range of 1,200 miles, capable of reaching U.S. bases in the Mideast.

Iran hopes to launch four more satellites by 2010, the government has said, to increase the number of land and mobile telephone lines to 80 million from 22 million. It also hopes to expand its satellite capabilities to increase Internet users to 35 million from 5.5 million.

[xalen54]

Does Iran have nuclear weapons? Not that I have seen... If you ask me it would be very sloppy for Iran to create nuclear weapons since if they would try to launch 1 at any NATO nations, they would be met by about 5 nuclear bombs launched back at them. Also it is "Americans" not Amerikkans .

[zootallures2]

Iran is launching satalites

and amerikkkans can''t even find their own country on a map with out the Chinese to print one for them..

[zootallures2]

The price of meat has just gone up
An'' yo old lady has just gone down

Look here ameriKKKa,
Who you jivin'' with those cosmic debris?

[damnedrelign]

For those who think the mentality of Iran''s dominated-by-toxic-religious-fundamentalsickness leadership, is working in the best interest of our world, grab hold of yourselves this minute. There is a very high correlation between Iranian technological advancement - nuclear, space, military and all -
and the sooner-than-we-think destruction of substantial portions, and perhaps most of our planet.
Elimination of this very real, and growing Iranian threat is essential for world survival. Make no mistake about this. There is very little time left.
The world must use all means, including massive, pre-emptive military action now, to prevent the worst destruction that this world has ever known by Iran''s mad leadership!

[rational_1]

"We need to have an active and influential presence in space."
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

Congrats! This will be good for Iran...Way to go!
Posted by jh6379 at 05:25 PM : Feb 04, 2008

Hey, look everybody. Iran finally managed to get Internet access and one of their ambassadors even posted his first message to a messageboard. See guys, you don''t have to live in the 8th century after all. Now just stop that wacky religious intolerance and killing women who dress inappropriately and you''ll soon be ready for polite company.

[search4truth-2009]

Too bad Jack Bauer''s not president.
We''d be rid of Nutjob tomorrow.

[tbweb]

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is Adolf Hitler reincarnated with religious fanaticism added creating a deadly cocktail.

[toolmangler-2009]

If Ahmadamnutjob would quit running around talking *** and Nook build up, maybe some one might think Iran really was peacful, But the way he is going about it, several countrys besides America have their fingers near the "Launch" buttons as the respective nations nervously watch the skies.

[notblue]

Didn''t appear as if the capsule had enough room for astronauts.

Guess what comes after missile capability?

Oh that''s right Nutjob says the nuclear enrichment process is just to generate electricity! LOL!! Unfortunately there are people who frequent these sites that believe those lies. Time will tell. If the earth survives the Iranian president it will be great to read what the ingrates that frequent these posts say then. Oh, I forgot! It will be BUSH''s FAULT! LOL!

[bcbbkake]

Now, does that sound like they have stopped their nuclear weapons program?

[bcbbkake]

Ahmadinejad said that the %u201Cfinal chapter%u201D has begun in which the Arabs of Israel, together with %u201Cregional nations%u201D will confront Israel and bring about %u201CPalestine.%u201D
In the same speech, Ahmadinejad declared that nothing will stop his nation from pursuing nuclear capabilities. "[Iranians] will not back down one iota in defense of their rights," he said. "The nuclear issue was the most important challenge since the revolution but with the help of G-d and your resistance, it is ending in favor of the Iranian nation."
"I am addressing leaders of two or three powers,%u201D Ahamdinejad said, who invited other nations to assist Iran in becoming a nuclear power. %u201CDo you remember I sent you a message and told you to stop be stubborn? If you think that you can block the movement of the Iranian nation, you are wrong%u2026If you will not come, this nation will build nuclear plants based on its own resources and when you come some four years later it will reject your request and not then give you any opportunity.%u201D
Iranian Energy Commission chairman Kamal Daneshyar announced Wednesday that his nation plans to operate 20 nuclear facilities in the coming years.

[bcbbkake]

"The Stars" isn''t all they''re shooting for. Posted on "Arutz Sheva" Jan 31:

Iran: World Should Abandon ''Filthy Zionist Entity''
by Ezra HaLevi

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has called on the world to come to terms with the demise of the %u201Cfilthy%u201D Jewish state.

Ahmadinejad made his latest statements in a speech given in the southern Iranian town of Bushehr, where Iran%u2019s first light-water nuclear reactor is being built by Russia. The speech was broadcast live on Iran%u2019s state-run television. He addressed world nations, advising them to "abandon the filthy Zionist entity which has reached the end of the line."

Seeming to search for various synonyms to remove doubt sown by apologists that question the translation of his call to erase Israel %u201Coff the map,%u201D the Persian leader said: "[Israel] has lost its reason to exist and will sooner or later fall. The ones who still support the criminal Zionists should know that the occupiers'' days are numbered%u2026Accept that the life of the Zionists will sooner or later come to an end."

Continued....

[hillaryin08]

Anyone who watched 60 Minutes instead of the Super Bowl last night can see that world leaders are more concerned about their own prestige than they are about feeding poor people in Africa.

The thoughts among world leaders is "why should I care about world hunger or poverty in my own country, when I have this "IMAGE" to maintain. Where is the "PROFIT" in it for me feeding poor people?".

This "Ferengi" approach is practiced by the Great Emperor Bush II and his neocon Fascist followers, as well as in any other country where money is souting out of their "arse".

I wonder if the founders of the world''''s great religions thought along those lines???

SIG HEIL, BUSH!!!!


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Posted by walt1944 at 08:45 AM : Feb 04, 2008

The Iranians are building ICBM''s and Nukes and all you can come up with is Bush hate retoric?

[hillaryin08]

Great, now the moron Bush will launch our troops into suicide missions in space so we can fight them there instead of fighting them here............


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Posted by SgtRDS at 12:49 PM : Feb 04, 2008

Whats truly amazing is that you believe this is for a peaceful purpose.

ICBM Program ........
Nuke Weapon Program.......

Just let Hillary deal with it right? You know she cried again today. Could be the polls with Obamma

[Syndicate]

I find it interesting that they want to expand cell phone use. Some of the more interesting things to come out of Iran have been from cell phones. Like the video of the girl using Kung Fu on the morality police.

[extremophil]

Wow, just think. Within our lifetime we could see the first camel in space!

[rf35]

Seems their ICBM program is right on track.

[sgtrds]

Great, now the moron Bush will launch our troops into suicide missions in space so we can fight them there instead of fighting them here............

[sevenveils]

- Shrug - How come the Iranian''s had to build an underground hardened command center for peaceful purposes?

[hypnotoad72]

Give them some viagra. That way they can shoot what they want into orbit, once they get done cutting fiber optic cables. (the fact India and other allies have been hurting rather rules out the US behind it...)

jh6379 - I hope you''re being facetious.