Iran reaches orbit? Not just yet... - February 18, 2008
This morning, AFP and Reuters are reporting that Iran has put something into "orbit". Specifically they say that the Kavoshgar I rocket, which launched on 4 February, is transmitting data to earth from an orbit of around 250km.
There's a few problems with this claim. First, as we reported, the Kavoshgar I appears to be a single-staged rocket that could climb to the edge of space, but it lacks the thrust to reach the roughly 8 km/sec that it would need stay there. Furthermore, the space geeks over at Arms Control Wonk speculate that the rocket suffered a guidance failure during launch.
So what gives? I can't find the original Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting service report that the wires seem to be working from, but other Iranian sources here and here indicate that the rocket simply transmitted data on its way up. That seems like a far more reasonable claim.
Interestingly enough, the Iranians now say that they will attempt a launch of a real satellite later this summer. Stay tuned...
Comments
Ahmadinejad usually exaggerates Iran's technological advances. These claims are mostly directed at home only to justify the hardship to the Iranian people as if they are achieving something for all that hardship that is the result of Ahmadinejad's mismanagement of the economy.
Posted by: Ali Mohammadi | February 18, 2008 08:03 PM
I'm Iranian so i know Farsi
From the Video i saw the people in charge were claiming that the Rocket was spouse to do two things
1.Test new material for a re-entry Vehicle
2.Gather Atmospheric data
But on the same day there were conflicting reports coming out of the Iranian media claiming that they were sending the "Omid" satellite into space using the Kavoshgar 1 but clearly the rocket I saw had no last stage or even a place to fit a Satellite
Kavoshgar 1 was not a SLV
And the head of the Space Program never claimed it was
There are pictures of Iran's SLV and it looks nothing like the Kavoshgar 1
Iran Lacks real Journalist
For Example:
Iran's Air Force commander claimed that they have finished the design of a 5th generation fighter yet he didn't even say what this fighter will be called
and they have yet to show their 3rd and 4th generation of fighters that they have built or even announce their names
you can't find a single Journalist in Iran that would go and investigate take pictures etc
the 1st Generation was the Azarakhsh (modified F-5) only one picture of this Aircraft exists and no one knows what the cockpit looks like or weather if it even has a radar
the 2nd Generation was the Saegheh that was again a F-5 with twin fin stabilizer like the F-18
And a half picture of the cockpit showed that it didn't even have a MFD and the Radar looked exactly like a 1970's F-5E
I'm not saying weather they are capable of building a 5th Generation fighter or not
All I'm saying is their lack of real Journalism makes them look bad
Journalists in Iran wait to told what to say and mostly by unqualified personal that know nothing of the facts
And in the end that makes them and the country look bad
Posted by: SAM | February 18, 2008 09:26 PM
Reuters has made a mistake in translation. The rocket launched on the 4th was supposed to check the path for the launch. two more rockets will be launched to collect more data. the next two maybe the ones that would be transmitting data from their orbit. This one though only transmitted data during its path to orbit. which seems reasonable. you don't send a rocket into space when you don't even have a path specified. you have to remember Iran doesn't have two vast oceans on each side. They have to be careful with the launch just in case if they make a mistake it won't turn into a regional disaster. I am however glad to see these events taking place because the shehab missiles were originally built as rocket experiments but the project was put on hold about 10 years ago because of the constant threat and the project turned into a missle project. well finally those shehabs are being used for what they were built for.
Posted by: Hamed | February 18, 2008 11:39 PM
See
http://iran-newspaper.com/1386/861128/html/rodarro.htm#s814842
For details (in Persian) of the rocket launch.
Iran never claimed the payload reached orbit. Just that it transmitted and recorded data while in flight.
Posted by: Ali | February 19, 2008 01:13 AM
The Iranians specifically said they launched a SUBORBITAL SOUNDING ROCKET which was NOT intended to go into space.
See: http://www.iranaffairs.com/iran_affairs/2008/02/scary-iranian-r.html
Posted by: hass | February 19, 2008 07:19 PM
Basically..the irani guy over here is right that IraniGenerals,Ahmadinejadand all those big daddies push a 3rd Gen fighter to a F22 Raptor class jet.After all..From what i know the so called top secret Irani 5th Gen Fighter is a plastic toy made by University students.And like all he others are saying...If China,Russia and India and all thos super powers are haveing so much truoble in Stealth avionics how could Iran even think about compiling one up?
Posted by: Chadface | July 7, 2008 01:01 AM