Iran Reports Space Launch Failed To Orbit, This Is America's Reaction

Iran Satellite Carrier Rocket "Simorgh" launched at an unknown location in Iran. This image was obtained on December 30, 2021. (Photo Antara)

JAKARTA - Iran's space launch on Thursday, December 30 local time reportedly failed to put its three payloads into orbit, after the rocket was unable to reach the required speed.

This was announced by a spokesman for the Iranian Defense Ministry, quoted by Reuters on Saturday. "For the payload to go into orbit, it needs to reach speeds above 7.600 (meters per second). We reached 7.350," spokesman Ahmad Hosseini said.

Hosseini did not clarify whether the device had reached orbit, but suggested the launch was a test before attempts came to put a satellite into orbit.

Iran, which has one of the largest missile programs in the Middle East, has experienced several failed satellite launches in recent years due to technical problems.

The US said it was concerned about Iran's space launch developments, and a German diplomat said Berlin had asked Iran to stop sending satellite launch rockets into space, adding that they violated UN Security Council resolutions.

France said on Friday, December 31 that a rocket launch aimed at sending three research devices into space violated UN rules and was "even more regrettable" because of the growing nuclear talks.

Iran's Foreign Ministry rejected US, German and French criticism of its satellite rocket launch. "Scientific and research progress, including in the aerospace field, is an inalienable right of the Iranian people, and such a statement of interference will not undermine the determination of the Iranian people to make progress in this field," he said in a statement.

Iran launched its first satellite Omid (Hope) in 2009, and the Rasad (Observation) satellite was sent into orbit in 2011. The country said in 2012 that it had successfully put its third, Navid (Promise) satellite, into orbit.

In April 2020, Iran said it had successfully put the country's first military satellite into orbit, following failed launch attempts in previous months.

The United States imposed sanctions on Iran's Civil Space Agency and two research organizations in 2019, saying they were used to advance Tehran's ballistic missile program.