bitchen frizzy Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 No, not that technology. This technology: http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/02/03/iran.satellite/index.html They've added to the collection of orbital debris. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SgtMuhammed Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 I'm not exactly sure why people regard this as some sort of accomplishment. Any country willing to spend the money can put a satellite in orbit, it's not like they have to invent anything, just build it. So good for Iran, they managed to do something only 52 years after the first time it was done. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bitchen frizzy Posted February 3, 2009 Author Share Posted February 3, 2009 *Shrug* I'm not praising the accomplishment or anything. I'm just noting the newsworthy item that has some relevance to a lot of discussions on this board. Just conversation. Still, if it was as ho-hum as you say, then nobody would be alarmed by Iran's developments in missiles and rockets. But many people are alarmed. After all, you could say the same thing about atomic bombs. I kind of agree with you, actually. These developments are inevitable. Ultimately, "non-proliferation" policies are as patronizing and futile as trying to keep countries from manufacturing light bulbs or internal combustion engines. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subvet Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 I'm not exactly sure why people regard this as some sort of accomplishment. It's not just an accomplishment; some people view it as threat. If you can lauch a satellite, you can launch a warhead. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FAI Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 It's not just an accomplishment; some people view it as threat. If you can lauch a satellite, you can launch a warhead. Except that in most cases, it's the other way around. Satellite launching capability usually comes naturally after you can figure out how to put a warhead in space. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunnergoz Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 If it is true - a big if, given Iran's history of lying about and inflating it's technical advances - it is only worrisome if it means that they have developed a sufficiently reliable launch system. Such a development might imply significant advances in their ballistic missile technology. The two capabilities go hand-in-hand. Too bad we just can't park a nice heavy ABM laser system in stationary orbit above them... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lars Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 If it wasn't true, I think NORAD or somebody would have said they've gotten nothing on their scopes. So when you go outside today, just remember there's 40-100 kg of Iranian "Death To America" junk zipping by over your head. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dieseltaylor Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 Will a tin-foil hat be sufficient protection if it falls down ? : ) 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lars Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 Nope. Let's hope it lands in Canada, eh? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Emrys Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 Let's hope it lands in Canada, eh? I thought it was the Aussies who liked to collect space junk. Michael 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lars Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 The Aussies like American space junk. Canada tends to attract the radioactive stuff. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanir Ausf B Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 No problem an SM3 can't take care of, if it comes to that. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angus Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 There's a video here, with about 10 replays in a row. http://tinyurl.com/df7zmp After they finally show the rocket gaining altitude, it sounds like they're shouting "Allahu ackbar" in the background. That's not disturbing. This site has a track on the satellite: http://www.n2yo.com/?s=33506 Why shouldn't this be a big deal for Iran? They managed to join the spacefaring club with fewer resources than any of the other members. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lars Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 Well, if you don't count a gazillion gallons of oil. Think North Korea is just a wee bit shorter on the resources. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angus Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 Well, if you don't count a gazillion gallons of oil. Think North Korea is just a wee bit shorter on the resources. But North Korea has never launched anything into orbit. They claimed to have done so, but that was never confirmed. The only other comparable countries are China in 1970 and India in 1980. I'd say that except for oil, Iran had fewer human and material resources than those countries. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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