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October 28, 2005
Iranians In Space
Iran has now put a satellite in space as part of a joint venture with their good friend, Russia.
Iran launched its first satellite into space from Plesetsk in northern Russia on Thursday, joining a select club of countries.
A joint project between Iran and Russia, the Sina-1 satellite will be used to take pictures of Iran and to monitor natural disasters.
It blasted off aboard a Russian Kosmos 3M rocket early on Thursday morning.
The satellite was built for Iran by Polyot, a Russian company based in the Siberian city of Omsk.
Director General of Iran Electronic Industries Ebrahim Mahmoudzadeh said Sina-1 was the result of years of research and 32 months of construction.
I find the very concept just a little scary -- they are the 43rd out of the planet's 191 countries to have a satellite in space -- and they are a country governed by extreme ideals several centuries in arrears, a nation that sponsors terrorism, whose president just decried a need for the destruction of Israel, who are the subject of a frantic attempt by the western world to discourage their development of the means to manufacture and deliver nuclear weapons.
Mr Mahmoudzadeh said the $15m research satellite would contain a telecommunications system and cameras that would be used for monitoring Iran's agriculture and natural resources.
It could also be deployed after disasters such as earthquakes.
He stressed, however, that the satellite represents only the first step in Iran's space programme.
"Considering that the satellite weights 170kg and is carrying a camera, it is an initial model as far as technical know-how and experience are concerned."
Great, so perhaps next they'll have a Russian version of the KH-12{surveillance} satellite to send up, to keep an eye on Israel and on the Great Satan{the U.S.} and other western countries.
It would be nice to think that we have some folks on tap who can intercept their satellite feed and disseminate it for useful intelligence.
Hat Tip The Raw Story.
Posted by Seth at October 28, 2005 05:12 AM
