"We have been aware for close to a year that Iran was preparing to
launch a satellite," a Western intelligence source, who could not confirm
the Iranian satellite launch, said. "It could be just a box with wires that
they've sent into space. The Iranian goal is to demonstrate SLV capability."
The announcement, which also reported Iranian plans to send an astronaut
into space by 2021, described Omid as a research satellite that would test
equipment in space. The satellite was said to contain a payload that
included data-collection and instrumentation as well as power supply
systems.
"This is the first satellite that has been launched in the history of
our nation and it was carried by Safir-2 satellite carrier," the
semi-official Fars news agency said.
Officials said Omid, meant to have been launched in May 2008, would
spend up to three months in space. They said Omid, placed in a low-earth
orbit at an altitude of 250 kilometers, would pave the way for a
full-fledged Iranian satellite launch in 2010. Iran plans to launch three
satellites over the next two years.
"Iran's presence in space with the aim of expanding monotheism, peace
and justice has now been officially recorded in history," Iranian President
Mahmoud Ahmedinejad said.
In 2005, Iran launched the Sina-1 experimental satellite into space.
Russia built the satellite and launched the platform.
Both Israel and the United States have determined that Iran's SLV
program was a cover for an intercontinental ballistic missile program. The
assessment by Jerusalem and Washington was that Iran could reach ICBM
capability by 2012.
Safir-2, with a diameter of 1.25 meters, measures 22 meters and weighs
26 tons. The SLV was said to be a derivative of the Shihab-3B
intermediate-range missile.
Iran's official news agency, Irna, said Omid would circle the earth 15
times per day. Irna said Safir-2 demonstrated its capability to "accurately
launch a light satellite into space and place it in orbit."
"All parts of Safir-2 Omid have been made by Iranian scientists," Irna
said.