Iran has major ambitions in
space, looking to show off its technological abilities, monitor its
neighborhood - where the United States has hundreds of thousands of troops -
and establish itself as a regional superpower.
Others are concerned about
the program's military applications, particularly Israel, whose existence is
opposed by the hard-line Islamic regime in Iran. Iran's Shahab-3 missile, with
a range of 1,240 miles, already can reach Israel as well as U.S. forces across
the Middle East.
Iran says it only wants to
be able to put its own satellites in space to monitor natural disasters in the
earthquake-prone nation and improve its telecommunications.
It makes similar peaceful
claims for its atomic program, but Washington and others suspect the real aim
of that work is to acquire nuclear weapons and have sought to clamp down on
Iran's nuclear facilities. Iran worries its space program will be targeted,
too.
"The moment they feel Iran
has made a breakthrough, they will impose restrictions more than those they
have imposed on Iran's nuclear program,'' said one space official, Mohammad
Reza Movaseghinia.
Iran joined the space club
last month when it launched its first small satellite, the Sina-1, aboard a
Russian rocket.
That orbiter was Russian-made,
but Iran built its second satellite, the Mesbah, with help from the Italian
company Carlo Gavazzi Space. Mesbah is due to be carried into space by a
Russian rocket in about two months.
The two satellites will
give Iran a limited capability to monitor the entire Middle East.
Iran's next goal is to
launch a satellite with one of its own rockets. Iranian officials say they are
developing a Shahab-4 missile that could lift a satellite into orbit, but have
not given details on when it will be ready.
"We have to move quickly
and achieve our goals in space. Otherwise, we will face political, economic and
security threats,'' Movaseghinia said.
Space agency officials have
not given details on what technology or expertise they need from abroad, but they
have been racing to learn as much as they can. Under its 20-year plan, Iran
aims to become a technological powerhouse of western Asia and a regional
superpower by 2025.
Aerospace faculties have
mushroomed at Iranian universities in recent years, and Iranian technicians are
being trained in Italy, Russia and China on how to design and build satellites.
The government has allocated $500 million on space projects for the next five
years, Communication Minister Mohammad Soleimani said last week.
Iran is now the world's
43rd country owning a satellite, but the government aims higher.
"We have to build our own
satellites, our own launchers. We need to be one of eight top countries
mastering space technology,'' said Ahmad Talebzadeh, the head of the Iranian Space
Agency.
Iranian officials point to
America's use of space to monitor Afghanistan and Iraq before invading them and
say they need similar abilities for their country's security.
Israel also is a leader in
satellite technology. Cameras on its Ofek-5 spy satellite have been keeping
tabs on activities in Arab countries and Iran since 2002.
Iran says the Sina-1
satellite is capable of monitoring Israel but has no military purposes.
Officials describe it as a research satellite and say its camera can't pick out
features that are smaller than 50 yards across. U.S. satellites can detect
objects just a few feet wide.
Russia, which has helped
the Iranians with their nuclear program, appears to be the main partner in
transferring space technology to Iran.
"Nuclear officials told us
that they don't have a good experience of dealing with Russia,'' said
Talebzadeh, referring to Moscow's slowness in completing a nuclear power plant
in Iran. ''But countries we can obtain technology from is limited. And we can't
ignore the fact that Russia is a world leader in space technology.''
In January, Iran signed a
$132 million deal with a Russian firm to build and launch a telecommunications
satellite within the next two years.
Iran has also signed
agreements to launch a joint satellite with China and Thailand.
"We are at the very
beginning of a long, long road in space technology. But we have the potential
to develop an indigenous space program,'' said Mohammad Entezari, who is in
charge of Iran's Mesbah satellite project.
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