Iran's mission to send astronaut into orbit sparks fears it wants to put weapons in space
Iran has launched a mission to send its first astronaut into space within the decade.
The Islamic Republic plans to send a manned rocket into space in the next 10 years, state television said on Thursday, just days after announcing it had put a dummy satellite into orbit.
The Republic has long held the goal of developing a space program, generating unease among world leaders already concerned about its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
The Safir (ambassador) satellite-carrier rocket, which will carry Iran's Omid (hope) satellite, is seen before launch at Iran's space centre in Tehran on August 17
Embroiled in a standoff with the West over its nuclear ambitions, Iran said on Sunday it had put the dummy satellite into orbit on a home-grown rocket for the first time.
U.S. security officials said Tehran's attempted satellite launch was a failure that fell short of claimed successes, but an analyst said the test marked a technical advance for Iran.
The long-range ballistic technology used to put satellites into space can also be used for launching weapons.
Iran says it has no such intention.
The West accuses Iran of seeking to build a nuclear warhead, a charge Tehran denies, insisting its nuclear ambitions are aimed at generating electricity so it that it can export more of its massive oil and gas reserves.
Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (second right) looks at the Safir (ambassador) satellite-carrier rocket, which carried Iran's Omid (hope) satellite into space
"One of the aims of Iran's 10-year space programme is to send a manned rocket into space," state television quoted Reza Taghipour, the head of Iran's aerospace organisation, as saying.
"Within in the next six months to one year, the exact date of this mission will be determined," he added.
Taghipour said Iran would cooperate with Islamic countries in building a satellite that television said would be called, Besharat, meaning 'good news'. He also said Iran was working with Russia and other Asian states to launch another satellite.
U.S. officials said the vehicle which Iran said on Sunday had delivered a dummy satellite into space failed shortly after lift off and did not reach its intended position.
But Charles Vick, a senior analyst for GlobalSecurity.org research group, said Iran appeared to have succeeded in igniting the second stage of its booster rocket and gained data that will help it perfect its launch system.
