Iran launched a small Earth-observing satellite into orbit today (Feb. 3), marking the country's first successful mission since a failed attempt to put a monkey in space last year, according to state news reports.
The Iranian Space Agency launched the new "Promise of Science and Industry" satellite into orbit today using a Safir 1-B rocket, according to a translation of a statement posted to the agency's Farsi-language website. Safir means "Ambassador" in Farsi.
The new Iranian satellite weighs about 110 pounds (50 kilograms) and was built by students at the Sharif University of Technology, according to a report by Iran's Islamic Republic News Agency.
Iranian defense minister General Ahmad Vahidi hailed the launch as a huge achievement for Iran's space technology effort, the news agency reported. "Promise of Science and Industry" will be used by researchers to study Earth's weather systems and manage responses to natural disasters, according to the IRNA.
The new satellite launch follows Iran's failed attempt to launch a live monkey into space in September 2011. That mission used Iran's Kavoshgar-5 rocket (Kavoshgar means "Explorer" in Farsi).
The Iranian space program has drawn some concern from other space powers and nations because of the potential for Iran's space launch vehicles to be used as weapons — potential carriers for ballistic nuclear missiles. Iran, however, has denied any military motives for its space program.
