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U.S. official calls Iranian satellite launch a 'dramatic failure'
By News Agencies
Tags: Technion, Iran, Israel 

U.S. security officials on Tuesday said that Iran's attempted satellite launch was a failure that fell far short of claimed successes, but an analyst said the test still marked progress toward a potential weapon.

"The attempted launch failed," a U.S. intelligence official told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity.

"The vehicle failed shortly after lift-off and in no way reached its intended position," the official said. "It could be characterized as a dramatic failure."
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A U.S. defense official gave a similar characterization of the test as unsuccessful.

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. The technology could also be used to develop a rocket capable of carrying nuclear weapons that could strike Europe or China, he said.

He based his assessments of the test on photographs, public reporting and earlier analyses.

"They're not there yet and that's to be expected, but this is a step forward that has implications strategically," Vick said.

Israeli experts and officials on Monday also voiced mixed reactions to the launch.

Tehran test-fired the new rocket, Safir Omid (Hope Envoy), before dawn Sunday, according to an Iranian Army statement published by the official news agency IRNA. The statement said that it was the second test-launch and successfully prepared the ground for the launch of the main satellite in the future.

Israel Radio quoted a senior Israeli security official as saying that if Iran was capable of launching a satellite into space, this proved it was also able of launching other payloads over distances of thousands of kilometers.

A security official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, also told Israel Army Radio that the test "underscores Iran's military ambitions."

One Israeli expert, Tal Inbar, a senior researcher at the Fisher Institute for Air and Space Strategic Studies, said the test was a "turning point," which had "far-reaching consequences for Israel's security."

Inbar told the daily Yedioth Ahronoth that the test was a "most impressive technological achievement," and said the development of civilian satellite launchers was a "cover" for purchasing parts and know-how on the international market for Iran's military programs.

But lawmaker Yitzhak Ben-Israel, the former head of the Israel Space Agency, downplayed the achievement as Iranian "propaganda." He said the concern expressed by some Israelis was "exaggerated" and "plays into the hands" of Tehran, which was trying to deter Israel and the U.S. from attacking its nuclear facilities.

The satellite launched by Iran was an unsophisticated box of 20 kilograms, similar to one built by students at Israel's Technion Institute of Technology already 10 years ago, he said. "It's just an attempt to scare the Israeli public, which is apparently working pretty well, with all the superfluous media coverage," he told Israel Army Radio.

Following its launch, Iran said Monday that it was ready to help fellow Muslim states launch satellites into orbit.

The head of Iran's Aerospace Organization, Reza Taghipour, said Iran wanted to help Muslim countries launch satellites. "I am announcing now that Iran is ready to launch satellites of friendly Islamic countries into space," Taghipour told state television.

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      1.   Israel security VOICE MIXED REACTIONS 01:29  |  All Talk 19/08/08
      2.   Us, Israel concerned? 03:04  |  Eini 19/08/08
      3.   "most impressive technological achievement," 03:23  |  Akiva P 19/08/08
      4.   Eini of Vancouver CA @#2 03:31  |  Akiva P 19/08/08
      5.   Great! More Space Junk 05:05  |  Jeff Northridge 19/08/08
      6.   Vancouver CA 06:57  |  Count Dracula 19/08/08
      7.   Every week there`s some Iranian military boasting. 07:57  |  Fortuna Benmayor 19/08/08
      8.   Ballistic Range 09:38  |  Roger 19/08/08
      9.   Congratulations Iran 16:07  |  Frances 19/08/08
      10.   IRAN - The Joke of the World 16:57  |  Dan 19/08/08
      11.   simply blow it all up. no goodies for fascists. 17:03  |  frenz 19/08/08
      12.   #11 It marvelous to see a zionist work his wiles.... 17:32  |  Johnboy 19/08/08
      13.   Its mainly other peoples technology with made in Iran stamped on 19:15  |  zionist forever 19/08/08
      14.   Eini, absolutely peace is the only way 20:01  |  Dan 19/08/08
      15.   8 20:10  |  zionist forever 19/08/08
      16.   iranian "might"? 20:37  |  jorge 19/08/08
      17.   axis of evil? 21:14  |  changed my mind 19/08/08
      18.   Bad news for the Iran-haters 21:15  |  Mark B. 19/08/08
      19.   What remains after smoke screen is dispersed? 21:53  |  H.H.M. 19/08/08
      20.   U.S. official calls Irans satellite launch a `dramatic failure"? 21:54  |  Natallie Durson 19/08/08
      21.   And I thought Iran was the greatest threat to world peace 22:41  |  Labhras 19/08/08
      22.   Possibly a cover for the real thing? Bravo Iran,use all your wits 22:59  |  lakshmi 19/08/08
      23.   #5 Jeff Northridge Impressive Iranian feat indeed! 23:09  |  JIm 19/08/08
      24.   It went better than Vanguard TV-3 04:21  |  Mark Lincoln 20/08/08
      25.   So they have the missiles to destroy Israel. Now what? 04:38  |  Fortuna Benmayor 20/08/08
      26.   #25, Fortuna Benmayor 19:12  |  Persian Hero 20/08/08
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