Iran successfully launches its first satellite into space

18:07 | 17/ 08/ 2008

TEHRAN, August 17 (RIA Novosti) – Iran has successfully launched its
first domestically built satellite, the news agency of the Islamic
Republic reported on Sunday.

The satellite called Omid or Hope was delivered into orbit by an
Iranian carrier rocket, IRNA said, referring to the Iranian Armed
Forces General Staff.

In February Tehran successfully launched the Explorer-1 research
rocket, which is reportedly capable of carrying a satellite into orbit,
and unveiled the country’s first domestically built satellite, named
Omid.