Iran zooms into space with 50-year-old technology

Washington Times ^ | February 3, 2009 | By Eli Lake

[Jim Robinson]

As Iran marks the 30th anniversary of its Islamic revolution, its regime has finally entered the space age with technology available in the West for more than 50 years.

American intelligence officials and private arms specialists said that a new satellite and the rocket that launched it on Tuesday were the equivalent of Sputnik era technology, so named for the satellite launched on Oct. 4, 1957 that sparked the space race between the United States and the Soviet Union.

The Iranian satellite, named Omid or Hope, was the same kind of low altitude elliptical orbit technology long surpassed by faster and more advanced equipment.

"The rocket is not that sophisticated," David Albright, the president of the Institute for Science and International Security, a Washington think tank, told The Washington Times. "That Sputnik technology, a little metal ball that goes 'beep beep beep,' is not the same as a nuclear warhead or a telecommunications satellite. It's harder to send heavier objects and more sophisticated objects into space or across a continent."

Mr. Albright added, "This test tells us they have not yet mastered long-range multistage rocket technology" of the kind needed to launch an advanced warhead.

[Borges]

They should watch out for Jews in Space. /s

[Leg Olam]

Now if they follow it up with some more of that sputnik style stuff maybe we can watch Imanutjob dying in space like the dog did.

[Jim Robinson]

Fifty year old space technology plus fifty year old nuclear bomb technology coupled with thousand year old hatred equals millions dead.

[ClearCase_guy]

I’m just guessing that the “Omid or Hope” technology is a Mark I effort. The Mark II technology can probably carry a nuclear warhead. Codename may be “Change” but I’m not sure about that.

[Melinda]

Wow, they are really making headway. Just a short time ago, they were 500 years behind!

[FreeAtlanta]

Attempts to down play the signifigance. If they can do this, they can hurl a nuke across the world.

Just when we need space defence and a strong military, Obama announces 10% cuts and desire to get rid of missile defence. He and the Dem party are vipers, wolves, monsters in sheeps clothing.

[Diogenesis]

The medium is the message.

[Jean S]

We should take it out immediately before they learn more technology from a sucessful launch.

This is scary.

[GalaxieFiveHundred]

[Diogenesis]

"We must ask our Hussein in the Oval Office for a bailout."

[Obadiah]

Yes, the technology is dated, but I find it facinating that the Obama people (corrupt MSM) are now telling us, “Move along nothing to see here.”

What - exactly - is this administration’s policy toward Iran? Toward the Middle East? Does ANYONE know? Or is everyone just content with the American Idol president and his populist slogan of ‘Hope and Change’ and ‘Yes we can’?

[Jim Robinson]

Publicly, the Obama administration expressed concern that there is overlap between the technology used to launch satellites and that necessary for making advanced ballistic missiles.

Acting State Department spokesman Robert Wood said in a statement: "Iran's development of a space launch vehicle (SLV) capable of putting a satellite into orbit establishes the technical basis from which Iran could develop long-range ballistic missile systems. Many of the technological building blocks involved in SLVs are the same as those required to develop long-range ballistic missiles."

[Jim Robinson]

Never fear, Obama’s gonna save us. No worry about Iran, they’re just developing this stuff for civilian use, you know, nukes for the children.

[thackney]

I would have though they would be afraid of running into:

[Iron Munro]

So we can be smuggly happy knowing the nuclear weapons and launch vehicles they use against us may not be state of the art technology.

/sarcasm off/

[Jean S]

Publicly, the Obama administration expressed concern...

Well, as long at they're concerned about it I won't worry about it.

Obama is in way over his head in this job, but we already knew that.

[Brett66]

Good thing that Obama will probably defund the SDI programs for more porkulous projects. /sarc

[MeanWestTexan]

“Fifty year old space technology plus fifty year old nuclear bomb technology coupled with thousand year old hatred equals millions dead.”

Correct. The target will be indescrimite -— e.g., “Eastern Seaboard”

-— or even more likely, and EMP pulse from this very orbit somewhere over the mid-West, which will destroy every solid state electronic item in the USA and Canada.

Happy to have an old pickup that runs on points/plugs.

[SampleMan]

Here is a picture of some other 50 year old technology.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

***They should watch out for Jews in Space. /s***

Has anyone noticed that the trailer for JEWS IN SPACE is no longer attached to the end of the film SPACEBALLS?

[RabidBartender]

"Mr. Albright added, "This test tells us they have not yet mastered long-range multistage rocket technology" of the kind needed to launch an advanced warhead."

You'd think an impoverished North Korea would have supplied such technology in exchange for some oil...

[KevinDavis]

Cause it was never there.. It is at the end of History of the World Part I

[philly-d-kidder]

it works for russia 50 year old technology and masking Tape!! haha.. Why not their friend IRAN..

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

***Cause it was never there.. It is at the end of History of the World Part I***

You sure? I would hve swore it was at the end of SPACEBALLS I saw at the theater years ago. I did not see History of the World Pt 1 there but on TV.

[politicalmerc]

The should watch out fr Jews on their A$$ if they think Iran can launch a nuclear missile!

[JrsyJack]

50 year old Sputnik technology it may well be but at the time the Soviet's launch of Sputnik was seen as a massive failure by the US.

Soviet supremacy of space, or the fear of it, sparked the race to put a man on the moon 10 or so years later.

Iran's launch of a long range missile is ignored at our peril

[sinanju]

Is it safer to get killed by fifty year-old technology?

[Jim Robinson]

I don’t know, but when they hang me I hope they use a new rope.

[SunkenCiv]

If Iran like that, they’re really love to see the incoming missiles when the mullahcracy gets taken out.

[KevinDavis]

[Names Ash Housewares]

Payload is obviously small.
How big would an Iranian nuke be?

[wastedyears]

I prefer what Homer Hickam did.

[GSP.FAN]

Earth calling Iran..

[Frank_Discussion]

Depends if they built it themselves or took a shortcut by obtaining a former soviet warhead. Wouldn’t that be fun?

[A CA Guy]

You have to worry these retards don't end up bumping into the real satellites with their tin cans.

[Lurker]

Can't argue with your math.

We are so screwed.....