Iran In Space – Getting Crowded Out There
Iran has launched a research rocket to inaugurate a newly built space centre, state television reports.
Iran’s first low-orbit research satellite, which is planned for launch in March next year.
Correspondents say advances in Tehran’s missile technology are likely to alarm Western powers, as Iran presses on with a controversial nuclear programme.
The space centre, at an unidentified desert location, includes an underground control station and launch pad for the satellite which will be named Omid (Hope).
“We need to have an active and influential presence in space,” President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said in a televised ceremony before the launch.
“Iran took its first step very strongly, precisely and wisely,” he said. “Building and launching a satellite is a very important achievement.”
This is a very interesting development. Awaiting world reaction.
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Word is, Iran gets its space technology from North Korea. Don’t remember if the nuclear treaty mentioned space technology. This puts a new twist on foreign policy. When the US gets a foreign policy, make a note to add something about “outer space”. With Iran suffering an economic crisis, outer space may be a welcome distraction to Iranians and an unwelcome development to Western countries.
Some Western experts have raised the possibility that Iran’s space programme may be a cover to develop its military ballistic missiles, a prospect many find troubling at a time when the US and others fear Tehran is trying to develop nuclear weapons – a claim Iran denies.
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February 4th, 2008 at 8:24 am
It’s a new world.
The USA, still laboring under the post-WWII mentality, lumber around thinking we own and control everything, including space.
The 21st century is when that thinking begins to change.
I read a piece about China’s ambitious plans to not only travel to the moon but, Mars within the next 20 years. Of course, this doesn’t set well with Washington. But what is the USA to do?
China has the fast growing GDP on earth and China funds our massive debt from buying treasury bonds. The fact is, the USA is no longer the biggest bully on the block.
February 4th, 2008 at 8:41 am
[...] bosskitty wrote an interesting post today on Iran In Space – Getting Crowded Out ThereHere’s a quick excerptWord is, Iran gets its space technology from North Korea. Don’t remember if the nuclear treaty mentioned space technology. This puts a new twist on foreign policy. When the US gets a foreign policy, make a note to add something about … [...]