Posted on 11/09/2009 7:53:33 PM PST by ErnstStavroBlofeld
Iran is preparing to launch its second indigenous communications satellite aboard a Safir-2 (Ambassador) booster rocket, an event that will test the country's ballistic missile capabilities. And, if it's successful, it could impact significantly on U.S.-led negotiations with Tehran over its nuclear ambitions by demonstrating the Iranians' growing mastery of missile technology.
Satellite launch vehicles such as the two-stage Safir-2, believed to be a modified Shehab-3 intermediate-range ballistic missile, are generally considered to have a potential application as an intercontinental ballistic missile.
Ten months ago Iran successfully launched the Omid 1 (Hope) satellite into orbit atop a 72-foot Safir from the Semnan Space Research Center in the Dasht-e-Kavir desert south of Tehran after at least one failure.
The new satellite, known as Mesbah (Lantern), will weigh 132 pounds, 10 times more than Omid, which burned up on re-entering Earth's atmosphere in April.
Jane's Intelligence Digest reported at the time that the use of a two-stage launch vehicle was a "noteworthy technical achievement."
"Tehran has now established its status as having the most advanced space, missile and nuclear programs in the Muslim Middle East, confirming its technical superiority over its Arab allies," it commented.
Many of the technological building blocks involved in the booster rockets like the Safir-2 are the same as those needed to develop long-range ballistic missiles.
This was the pattern of early U.S. and Russian missile development in the 1950s and 60s.
According to Western sources, the Iranians have built two Mesbahs in cooperation with Italy's Carlo Gavazzi Space company under an $11.3 million program. The first Mesbah was destroyed in a 2005 launch mishap.
(Excerpt) Read more at spacewar.com ...
One Second After
I just get the awful feeling that Iran is gearing up for a EMP attack on the US. It wouldn’t take much: 2-3 nukes about 60 miles over the USA would do it. I seriously doubt we could handle it.
OMG! Is the TOTUS shielded? We'll be leaderless! I mean, even more so!
Isn’t this diagram across from the advertisement for Sea Monkeys?
These are the launch corridors for their missile tests. Iran has declared that the ballistic missile based sounding rocket and satellite launch vehicle site is located in the Semnan province near the “ Salt Desert”. There are a series of launch site groups with several in close proximity of the other site for the Shahab ballistic missile series then east of there is the Safir satellite launch infrastructure and one last facility further east is the infrastructure apparently designed for the North Korean derived Taep-o-dong-2C/3 booster.Rather interesting nugget.
We can also have the ability to monitor their launches.
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