| Iran has inaugurated a new space center and says it | | | | Iran intends to launch the probe aboard an |
| aims to launch its own domestic-built satellite by early | | | | Iranian-made rocket in a little more than a year. |
| next year. VOA Correspondent Challiss McDonough | | | | Analysts remain skeptical about whether Iran's |
| has more from our Middle East bureau in Cairo. | | | | technical capabilities are as advanced as claimed. |
| Iran has inaugurated its first major space center and | | | | Mohammed Abdel-Salam is a non-proliferation |
| launched a new rocket that it says is designed to | | | | specialist at the Al-Ahram Center for Political and |
| carry an Iranian-made research satellite into orbit. | | | | Strategic Studies in Cairo. |
| Iranian state-run television showed President | | | | He said it is not clear whether Iran will really have the |
| Mahmoud Ahmadinejad giving the order to launch the | | | | capacity to launch a satellite in a year, and it would |
| rocket, named Explorer-1. | | | | be a very difficult target to achieve. |
| He called it a giant step toward serving mankind and | | | | Iran has been pursuing a space program for several |
| Iranian progress. | | | | years. It launched a Russian-built satellite aboard a |
| The television footage showed the rocket blasting | | | | Russian rocket in 2005. |
| off toward the sky. A small object could be seen | | | | Iran says the new space center is devoted to |
| parachuting back down to Earth, but it was not clear | | | | building and launching research satellites. It is located in |
| what it was. | | | | the desert of Iran's northern Semnan province. |
| Iranian media reports said the rocket went into | | | | In Washington, a White House spokesman called the |
| space, but did not specify the altitude it reached. Last | | | | missile launch unfortunate, and said it will further |
| February, Iran launched another rocket that reached | | | | isolate Iran from the international community. |
| the edge of space, but did not get far enough away | | | | U.S. and European officials have expressed concern |
| from Earth to go into orbit. | | | | about Iran's missile development program, especially |
| Space is considered to begin at 100 kilometers above | | | | when combined with its uranium-enrichment program. |
| the Earth's surface. The lowest satellite orbits begin | | | | The technology required to make and launch rockets |
| at about 160 kilometers. | | | | into space is much the same as that used to make |
| Iranian television said the Explorer-1 rocket is capable | | | | and launch ballistic missiles that could be used to carry |
| of carrying a satellite. President Ahmadinejad also | | | | nuclear weapons. Iran has declared that both |
| unveiled Iran's first domestically built satellite, named | | | | programs are peaceful. |
| Omid, or Hope. The state news agency IRNA said | | | | |