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The 'Iranian Space Agency' ('ISA') is Iran's governmental space agency.
The president of Iranian Space Agency is one of the deputies of the 'Ministry of Information and Communication Technology'. ISA was established to conduct research in the field of space and technology. These fields include remote sensing and development of national and international space technology and communication networks. Iranian Space Agency performs the approvals of the Iran Space Council (ISC), which is established in order to peacefully use space technology and science and the above atmosphere space to develop the culture, technology science and finance of the country. The head of ISC is the president of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Contents

Launch Vehicle

Space Centers

Future Projects

See also

References

External links

Launch Vehicle

Iran developed a satellite launch vehicle of the Shahab family quite similar with the DPRK's Taepodong 2 named IRIS, under the designation of Shahab SLV
After the year 2000, Iran had acquired the necessary skills to begin initial production of the Shahab-3 missile. This was followed by indigenous Iranian modifications and improvements, leading to test firing of an improved version (Shahab SLV) in late 2004, that would be used to launch a completely indigenous Safir Iran satellite.
This would be followed by the Mesbah, developed in collaboration with Italy by May 2005. The Mesbah-2 satellite would follow.
In January 2005, the Zohreh geosynchronous satellite project was approved with a contract signed with Russia.
On February 25, 2007, the Iranian state-run television has announced that a rocket, carrying unspecified cargo created by the ministries of science and defence, was successfully launched.^[1] Later reports stated that the rocket was not intended for the orbital flight, being a sounding rocket. After reaching the altitude of about 150 kilometers, it was designed to descend back to Earth using a parachute. The US Military has doubts about this launch since it was claimed not to have been detected by NORAD. There are, however, concerns of military involvement, particularly with defence ministry use of rockets developed by the Space Agency.^[2]

Space Centers

The main launch site of the Iranian Space Agency is Emamshahr, located at , where suborbital Shahab 3s LV have been launched.
Qom, located at , is the other launch site.

Future Projects

Although Sinah-1, the first Iranian satellite has been built and launched by the Russians on October 28, 2005 on a Kosmos-3 booster rocket from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, making Iran the 43rd country to possess its own satellite. Iran still hopes to become a satellite-launching nation.
The second Iranian satellite, Sinah-2 should be launched in 2008 also on a Russian rocket ^[3].
The next Iranian satellite, Mesbah should be built by Iran with Italian assistance and launched on a domestically made rocket.
The Sahab-4 rocket still in development with an estimated range of 2000 miles is said to be able to launch satellites in space.
The Iranian Space Agency director has declared in 2005 that in order to reach her ambitious goal of ranking among the top 8 spacefaring nations, the government would allocate for the next five years, USD 500 millions to the space program ^[4].
According to Mehran Mirshams, deputy head of Iran Aerospace Association, Iranian experts are currently engaged in the development of five satellite projects including Zohreh, Mesbah, ZS4, SM2S and Sepehr ^[5].
On November 21 2005, Iranian News Agency reported that Iran will start a manned space program on a Russian spacecraft in the near future and the development of a small indigenous space capsule and spacelab.

See also

★ IRIS (missile)

★ Zohreh Satellite

★ Sinah-1, Iranian satellite

★ Mesbah

★ List of Iranian Research Centers

★ Iran Aviation Industries Organization

References

1. Iran announces rocket launch, believed part of commercial satellite project
2. US doubts Iranian space launch claim
3. Iran plans second satellite launch
4. http://military.china.com/zh_cn/critical/25/20051215/12947239.html
5. Iran Will Launch Satellite Next Week

External links

★ Iranian Space Agency

★ Space Science

★ Iran space program

★ Shahab SLV

★ Aerospace Industries Organization

★ Youtube Video on Iran Space Program