TEHRAN: Iran’s first domestically produced satellite has successfully completed its tasks in space, state television said yesterday, seven weeks after Tehran sent it into orbit.
Iran launched a research and telecoms satellite called Omid (Hope) on Feb. 3, a step that worried Western powers who fear the country is seeking to build a nuclear bomb and missile delivery systems.
The long-range ballistic technology used to put satellites into orbit could also be used to launch warheads.
“The Omid satellite, by successfully carrying out all its tasks, completed its mission,” state television said.
Omid sent and received signals while orbiting earth more than 700 times, state television quoted an expert involved in the project as saying, without giving further detail.
“It carried out all tasks ... without any parts of it making any mistakes,” said the expert who was identified only with his last name, Ebrahimi. The satellite would stay in space for another 37-38 days before returning to earth, he added.
Telecommunications Minister Mohammad Soleimani last month said Iranian scientists were manufacturing seven more satellites.
Iran has lofty space goals including putting a man into orbit within 10 years.
