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State Television Says Iran Launches New Satellite Into Space

Posted by samzenpus on from the putting-it-out-there dept.

An anonymous reader writes State television in Iran is reporting the Islamic Republic has launched a new satellite into space, its fourth in recent years to orbit the Earth. The report Monday quoted Defense Minister Gen. Hossein Dehghan saying the satellite, designed and built in Iran, is named "Fajr," or dawn in Farsi. The report did not elaborate.

2 of 81 comments (clear)

  1. No elaboration? Is it a cubesat? by popo · · Score: 1, Insightful

    There's nothing particularly impressive anymore about launching a satellite into space.

    Cubesats are 10cm x 10cm satellites that can be built using off-the-shelf components and cost as little as $50,000 to produce *and* launch into orbit. (Although launch costs are ramping).

    If Iran state media isn't "elaborating" on the nature of the satellite then we have no reason to believe the Iranian government has done anything more impressive than launch a 10cm DIY satellite.

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  2. Re:No elaboration? Is it a cubesat? by JerryLove · · Score: 3, Insightful

    There's nothing particularly impressive anymore about launching a satellite into space.

    I could be wrong: but I'm pretty sure that the ability to place anything into orbit shows considerable technical and engineering skill.

    The ability to put even a small payload into orbit implies the ability to put a larger payload on an intercontinental suborbital arc... at least based on my time in Kerbal Space Program.