Pat Dollard | Young Americans

Look at da Munchkin King…Holy Sci-Fi, he’s wearing 3-D glasses, Batman. Very scientific.

Very impressive.

Why do I get the feeling this rocket was not a launch for space, but more of a ballistic missile test?

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Iran launched a research rocket and unveiled its first major space center, state television reported Monday, the latest steps in a program many fear may be cover for further development of its military ballistic missiles.
State television showed live images of the event, with President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad issuing the launch order.

Iran has long declared a goal of developing a space program, but the same technology used to put satellites in space can also be used to deliver warheads. The country’s space program, like its nuclear power program, has provoked unease abroad.

“It is just another troubling development,” State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said. “And, of course, the U.N. Security Council and other members of the international system have expressed their deep concern about Iran’s continuing development of medium- and long-range ballistic missiles.”

Iranian officials have said they are developing a Shahab-4 missile to launch a satellite. Iran’s powerful ballistic missile, the Shahab-3, is believed to have a range of at least 800 miles, putting Israel and much of the Middle East in range. In November, Iran said it had manufactured a new missile, the Ashoura, with a range of 1,200 miles.

White House press secretary Dana Perino said, “It’s unfortunate they continue to do that (missile development) because it further isolates the country from the rest of the world.”

Iran, which also unveiled its first domestically built satellite Monday, says it wants to put its own satellites into orbit to monitor natural disasters in the earthquake-prone nation and improve its telecommunications. Iranian officials also point to America’s use of satellites to monitor Afghanistan and Iraq and say they need similar abilities for their security.

Despite concern over Iran’s space program, it is not clear how far along it is, or whether the latest launch actually reached the internationally agreed-upon beginning of “space,” set at 60 miles above the earth.

Analysts have expressed doubts about certain technological achievements announced by Iran in the past. The country launched its first domestically built rocket last February, which soared to the edge of space but did not reach orbit level.

On Monday, state-run television did not specify the altitude when announcing 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,” it announced.

The lowest flying satellites, ham radio satellites, orbit between 100- 300 miles up, while communication, weather and global-positioning satellites fly between 250-12,000 miles up.

Before the launch, Ahmadinejad opened Iran’s first major space center, which includes a space launch pad and underground control station.

“We need to have an active and influential presence in space,” he said.