Iran Launches Omid Satellite Into Orbit

Iran launched its firstsatellite into orbit Monday using a modified homemade long-range missile,thrusting the Islamic republic into an elite club of space-faring nations,state media reported.

The small Omidcommunications satellite was launched Monday evening aboard a Safir 2 rocket,the Fars news agency reported.

The former Soviet Unionlaunched the world'sfirst artificial satellite, Sputnik 1, in October 1957. The United Statesfollowed with the successful launch of Explorer 1 in January 1958.

The launch was timed tooccur during a 10-day celebration of the 30th anniversary of Iran'sIslamic revolution, according to the Fars news agency.

Iranian President MahmoudAhmadinejad ordered Monday's launch and said the satellite was a "steptoward justice and peace," according to state television reports.

Iran constructed Omid andplanned the launch under strict U.N. economic sanctions due to internationalsuspicions of Iran's nuclear ambitions.

Iran orbited its firstsatellite in 2005 on a Russian rocket, but Monday's launch was the country'sfirst to use a homemaderocket launched from Iranian territory.

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Stephen Clark is the Editor of Spaceflight Now, a web-based publication dedicated to covering rocket launches, human spaceflight and exploration. He joined the Spaceflight Now team in 2009 and previously wrote as a senior reporter with the Daily Texan. You can follow Stephen's latest project at SpaceflightNow.com and on Twitter.