Did Not Achieve Orbital Velocity And Crashed In Rural Area Of The Country

For the fourth time in a year, Iran failed to get a satellite into orbit when the rocket carrying the spacecraft failed to achieve orbital velocity.

The Jerusalem Post reports that, according to Radio Farda, the launch was successful in reaching space, but the speed required to place the satellite in its proper orbit was not reached. The Zafar satellite fell back to Earth in a rural region of southeast Iran, resulting in as many as eight explosions, according to the Iranian Fars News.

Authorities were reportedly investigating the cause of the failed launch and the explosions. Parts of the satellite reportedly had been found "in unpopulated areas close to Zahedan and citizens had no cause to worry," according to the Iranian government.

Iran's Information and Communications Technology minister, Azari Jahromi said that while the launch was unsuccessful, the U.S. has also had multiple launch failures and that Iran is "unstoppable" in its efforts to orbit satellites successfully.

Iranian Defense Ministry spokesman Ahmad Hosseini said that orbital insertion was not the main objective of the launch. “As announced before, it was a research launch, and our expectations were satisfied in the respective sectors,” he said. “We consider the launch as a successful one, because the research launch is not aimed at the injection phase.”

The launch of another Zafar satellite is planned for May or June.

FMI: Source report