Iran says first satellite successfully completes mission

16:12 | 19/ 03/ 2009

TEHRAN, March 19 (RIA Novosti) – Iran’s first satellite has
successfully completed its scientific mission after more than a month
in orbit, an Iranian space research expert announced Thursday on state
television.

Iran put its first communications satellite, Omid (Hope), into a
near-Earth orbit on February 2. The satellite was carried into orbit by
a home-made launch vehicle, Safir (Messenger).

"The satellite had no technical problems in orbit and it fulfilled
completely all the tasks set before it," Asghar Ebrahimi said.

He said that the satellite orbited Earth 700 times and would remain in
orbit for another 38 days before entering the Earth’s atmosphere. He
added that a number of countries, including Russia, Britain and the
United States, had used information collected by the satellite during
its mission.

Iranian Communications Minister Mohammad Soleimani earlier said that
the country’s scientists were working on the creation of four new
satellites to be placed into near-Earth orbit.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said last week that pressure from
Western powers trying to keep Iran in economic isolation has in fact
spurred the country to become a space and nuclear power.

Western powers led by the United States, along with Israel, have
accused Tehran of attempting to develop nuclear weapons and ballistic
missile technology for their delivery. Iran says it needs its nuclear
program for electric power generation, and its missile program for
space exploration.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress