Iran has reported the firing of its first indigenous space
launch vehicle, which is capable of delivering a nuclear warhead. But officials
said the SLV failed to reach space orbit.
Western analysts said Iran plans to use the SLV program to develop an
intercontinental ballistic missile. They said that any SLV capable of
carrying a 300-kilogram satellite could also deliver a nuclear warhead.
The officials said the SLV, meant to probe the exoatmosphere, was
constructed in a project by the Defense Ministry and Science Ministry, Middle East Newsline reported.
Ali Akbar Golrou, deputy director of the Iranian Space Research Center,
said the SLV reached an altitude of 150 kilometers, beyond the earth's
atmosphere but short of the altitude required for space orbit. Golrou
said the rocket did not stay in orbit and parachuted to earth.
The Iranian official termed the facility fired into space a sub-orbital
rocket designed for research rather than for satellite transport. Golrou
said the facility was a "sounding rocket," designed to examine atmospheric
conditions between 45 kilometers and 160 kilometers above the earth.
"What was announced by the head of the research center was the news of
launching this sounding rocket," Golrou said.
Earlier, Iranian Space Research Center director Mohsen Bahrami said the
rocket had been transporting "material intended for research" produced by
the Defense Ministry and Science Ministry. Bahrami said the two ministries
also helped design and produce the rocket.
"All the [pre-launch] tests have been carried out in the country's
industrial facilities in line with international regulations," Bahrami said.
"The manufacture of the rocket and the cargo was achieved by experts at the
center of aerospace research and the engineering center at the Agricultural
Planning Ministry."
In January 2007, Iran reported the development of a plasma-thrusting
engine to help guide satellites into orbit. At the time, officials said the
SLV would be based on a Shihab-3 intermediate-range ballistic missile.
On Feb. 24, Defense Minister Mostafa Najar said Teheran was planning to
build a satellite and launcher. Najar said the ministry has sought to make
Iran a member of the international space club.
"We are working on constructing satellites and on rockets capable of
launching a satellite into space," Najar said.
In 2005, Iran launched its first such satellite. Sina-1, with a
Russian-origin SLV. Iran plans to launch four additional satellites by 2010.