Iran successfully launches Kavoshgar-1 rocket

William Atkins
Monday, 04 February 2008 19:14

Science - Space

On February 4, 2008, Iran launched a sub-orbital rocket called Kavoshgar-1 (Explorer-1, in English) from its new secret space launch complex.     

This rocket was a test for next year’s expected launch of Iran’s first orbiting research satellite called Omid (Hope, in English). The Omid is the first scientific research satellite that is being solely designed and constructed by Iranian scientists and engineers.

The rocket, which was launched from an order by Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, was capable of launching a satellite although it did not contain one for this test.

The rocket flew a suborbital path, but did not enter an orbit about the Earth. An exact altitude attained by the rocket was not announced by the Iranian government.

At the time of the launch, the Iranian government also announced its plans to launch its Omid satellite. The government said it took them ten years to build it. Space activities are directed by the Iranian Space Agency (ISA). It was established in 1974. The ISA website is: http://www.isa.ir/en/.

The launch was staged at a new major Iranian space center at a yet-to-be identified desert location. The space center contains a launch pad and an underground control center. The Iranian president attended the opening ceremonies for the new launch center.

Iranian state television did announce at the time of the launch, “With the launch, Iran has joined the world's top 11 countries possessing space technology to build satellites and launch rockets into space.” [BBC News: “Iranians inaugurate space project”]

Iran is hoping to become the eleventh country to launch a domestic spacecraft into orbit by a domestic rocket.

So far, the countries/organizations to have successfully launched their own artificial objects into orbit about the Earth are: Russia (former Soviet Union), United States, France, Japan, China, United Kingdom, European Space Agency, India, Ukraine, and Israel.