First Iranian Satellite Launched
Thursday, 27 October 2005

Iran launched its first satellite into space from Plesetsk in Northern Russia on Thursday, joining a select club of Countries.

A joint project between Iran and Russia, the Sina-1 satellite will be used to take pictures of Iran and to monitor natural disasters.

It blasted off aboard a Russian Kosmos 3M Rocket early on Thursday Morning.

The satellite was built for Iran by Polyot, a Russian Company based in the Siberian City of Omsk.

Director General of Iran Electronic Industries Ebrahim Mahmoudzadeh said Sina-1 was the result of years of research and 32 Months of construction.

The launch makes Iran the 43rd Country to possess its own satellite.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4381436.stm