Country Says Explorer-I Reached Orbit

Iran appears to be the latest country capable of sending its own rockets into orbit... to the consternation of the Western world. On Monday, the belligerent Islamic state launched what it termed a research rocket, from the country's new space center.

"The first Iranian rocket Explorer-1 was fired into space," state television reported. "Iran has joined the world's top 11 countries that possess space technology to build satellites and launch rockets into space."

The London Telegraph reports Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad read out the launch countdown for the rocket, and even donned 3-D glasses to see an aerial map during his visit to the space center, located in the remote desert of Northern Iran. According to reports by the semi-official FARS news agency, the new complex also includes a underground control bunker.

The launch renewed fears Iran will use its space program as a front for more hostile purposes, including the development of nuclear-capable weapons -- allegations furthered by beliefs Explorer-I is an adaptation of Iran's Shahab-3 intercontinental ballistic missile (early US and Russian space-capable rockets were also adapted ICBMs -- Ed.)

Iran denied those charges... but that came as little comfort to US officials. "It's unfortunate Iran continues to test ballistic missiles. This regime continues to take steps that only further isolate it and the Iranian people from the international community," said White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe.

Some analysts met Iranian claims the rocket achieved orbit with raised eyebrows, noting a similar rocket only reached suborbital space in a February 2007 launch, as reported by ANN.

Ahmadinejad also unveiled Iran's first domestically-produced satellite, christened 'Omid,' or hope. The rocket launched Monday is the same type intended to send the research satellite into orbit later this year... three years after the country's first commercial satellite, the Russian-made Sina, rode into orbit onboard a Russian rocket.

"The launch of the first space research unit would be [a] great stride to serve the mankind and would lead to Iran's exaltation and progress," Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying, according to China's Xinhua news agency.

FMI: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ir.html