Iran has a Space Program now; launches first satellite

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4381436.stm

Apparently, they've been working on this for several years, but the actual payload of the rocket,

Mr Mahmoudzadeh said the $15m research satellite would contain a telecommunications system and cameras that would be used for monitoring Iran's agriculture and natural resources.

makes me wonder what other uses such an orbiting camera would have, such as, say, observing the movements of an invading army...

― kingfish neopolitan sundae (kingfish 2.0), Friday, 28 October 2005 13:58 (twenty years ago)

If you think the USAF doesn't have dazzler / RF kill weapons for shit like this, you are sorely mistaken.

― jdubz (ex machina), Friday, 28 October 2005 14:09 (twenty years ago)

Uhm, that's been kinda obvious since all the noises to "extend the military theater into space" in the late 90s/early '00s. While we might not have "Spies Like Us" technology out there yet, there's certainly something orbiting right now...

"Why don't you gentlemen have a Pepsi?"

― kingfish neopolitan sundae (kingfish 2.0), Friday, 28 October 2005 14:12 (twenty years ago)

This would be all of a piece with their nuclear ambitions, too. They have observed and understood the close coupling of our space program with our weapons program. The civilian face of a space program is damn good PR and a nice cloak to cover your research into how to build ICBMs. That's how it worked out for the USA.

It's a Realpolitick world we live in, with a yellow happy-face sticker slapped over it. I can't say I blame the Iranians for wanting to step up to the same military level as China, India and Israel.

― Aimless (Aimless), Friday, 28 October 2005 14:17 (twenty years ago)

US SPACE COMMAND! (A wholly owned subsidiary of US Strategic Command.)

http://www.air-and-space.com/thmbnail/usspacecom.gif

Army style

Navy style

Air Force style

And of course Peterson AFB in general.

"No one comes close."

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 28 October 2005 14:33 (twenty years ago)

Military logo iconography & design is a neat thing.

Still, it should be noted that Iran doesn't have any launch facilities in its own borders yet, or as much infrastructure to build spacecraft. They had to subcontract both of those parts out to the Russians this time.

― kingfish neopolitan sundae (kingfish 2.0), Friday, 28 October 2005 14:36 (twenty years ago)

(And TOMBOT and Elvis Telecom to thread.)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 28 October 2005 14:38 (twenty years ago)

I like that AFSC page, with the contrasting logo styles. The AFSC has this cool late 50's/almost-Thunderbirds style vs the Air Force's much more sleek & abstract/futuristic 80's thing.

But I'm more a space dork than a design expert, so I'll leave the more in-depth commenting to others.

― kingfish neopolitan sundae (kingfish 2.0), Friday, 28 October 2005 14:49 (twenty years ago)

four years pass...

"These miraculous satellite projects are, in fact, key to the connection between God and mankind," Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said at a ceremony, according to state radio. "Today, Iranian scientists are capable of capturing the skies."

Photos posted to news websites showed a rat strapped into a space pod. Reports said two turtles and worms were also aboard.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-fg-iran-satellites4-2010feb04,0,3755268.story

― rent, Wednesday, 3 February 2010 14:54 (sixteen years ago)

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