A defence ministry spokesman said in statements broadcast on state television that Iran’s space launch on Thursday failed to deliver its three cargo into orbit because the rocket’s speed was insufficient to attain the needed speed.
While indirect United States-Iran discussions are taking place in Austria to try to salvage a 2015 nuclear deal, the failed launch attracted sharp condemnation from the United States and its European allies.
A payload must attain speeds greater than 7,600 [metres per second] in order to enter orbit.” “We were able to reach 7,350,” the spokesman, Ahmad Hosseini, said in a documentary about the launch vehicle that was broadcast on state television and made available on the internet last week.
However, Hosseini did not specify whether or not the devices had reached orbit, but he hinted that the launch had served as a practise run for future attempts to send satellites into orbit.
The Islamic Republic of Iran, which possesses one of the most extensive missile programmes in the Middle East, has experienced a number of unsuccessful satellite launches in recent years, all of which were caused by technical difficulties.
In response to Iran’s construction of space launch vehicles, the United States has expressed worry, and a German ambassador claimed Berlin had called on Tehran to cease launching satellite launch rockets into space, noting that this was in violation of a United Nations Security Council resolution.
As nuclear negotiations with world powers progressed, France said the rocket launch, which was intended to send three research devices into space, violated the United Nations’ rules and was “even more regrettable.” The launch, which was intended to send three research devices into space, occurred on Friday.
‘These operations are particularly sad because they occur at a time when we are making progress in the nuclear discussions in Vienna,’ according to the French foreign ministry’s statement.
“We urge Iran to refrain from launching any further ballistic missiles designed to be capable of carrying nuclear weapons, including space launchers.”
Tehran disputes that its space activities serve as a cover for ballistic missile development or that it has violated a United Nations Security Council resolution.
