West Accuse Iran of Violating UN Sanctions on Ballistic Missiles

The US, Britain, France and Germany are accusing Iran of violating UN sanctions prohibiting any launches using ballistic missile technology.

US Ambassador Susan Rice said the four countries reported the ballistic missile violation to the Security Council committee monitoring sanctions against Iran.

Britain's UN Ambassador Mark Lyall Grant said the violation occurred when Iran launched the Rasad 1 satellite in June, saying that the launch of the satellite was dependent on ballistic missile technology."

Rasad satellite launch - pictorial

click photos to enlarge

Photos: Vahid Reza Alaei at Fars News Agency

Rasad satellite launch - video

According to PressTV:

The Islamic Republic of Iran successfully launches its second satellite christened Rassad (Observation) into the earth's orbit.

The satellite, which is the country's first such imaging device, was launched by the Safir-e-Rassad satellite carrier on Wednesday thanks to Iranian aerospace scientists and experts' endeavor, IRNA reported.

Despite its 15.3-kilogram weight, which puts it under the category of the micro-satellites, Rassad has all features of a big satellite.

It has undergone all the stages required for its designing, manufacturing, assembly, test and preparation for launch inside the country.

It will orbit the earth at an altitude of 260 kilometers 15 times every 24 hours.

Its mission is to take images of the earth's surface and relay them to the earth-based stations together with telemetric information.

The satellite is equipped with solar panels and uses solar energy to work.

Iran launched its first domestically-produced satellite Omid (Hope) in 2009, which made it the ninth country to develop satellite launch capability.

Tehran also plans to launch the country's first manned mission to space by 2019.

Another impressive feat made all the more so as the Islamic Republic of Iran is under multiple sets of economic and technological sanctions.

Additional specifications: Most main subsystems of a larger satellite are featured on the Rasad , such as a power management system, solar pannels, attitude control, optical equipments, GPS, data and onboard commands management, onboard transmitter and receiver, ranging transmitter and temprature systems. Claimed maximum imaging resolution is 150m.

Iranian TV reports the next launch to be the Fajr satellite in autumn, with 100m resolution and 50 kg weight, and orbit maneuvering capability; followed by the Navid-e-Elmo-Sanat satellite this coming winter. Also, the Kavoshgar-5 rocket lifting a 285 kg capsule will be launched to 120 km altitude this summer, with a recycling cargo weight of 250 kg. (h/t M-ATF @ IMF)

Artistic rendering of the Rasad Satellite

Video: PressTV

YouTube uploading: maydayfire

Image: M-ATV @ IMF

Iran Launches Satellite into Orbit

Iran launched a homemade satellite into earth orbit on Wednesday. The satellite, called Rasad, was launched successfully by a Safir rocket. This is Iran’s second successful launch of a satellite into orbit. The first, Omid, was launched in 2009. Iran has expressed a goal of putting a man in orbit within 10 years.

Rasad weights 15.3 kilogram (34 pounds) and has been designed to orbit the earth 15 times a day at the height of 260 kilometers (160 miles).

Photo: The launch of Rasad / Al-Alam TV