Iranian officials announced the launch Thursday, without disclosing when or where it took place, or what devices were on the onboard satellite carrier.
Iranian officials announced Thursday the launch of a rocket into space that contained a satellite carrier holding three devices but did not confirm whether the objects reached the speed required to enter the Earth’s orbit. The announcement did not contain information about the date or time of the launch, or what devices were on the carrier. The rocket was a Smiorgh, or “Phoenix” rocket, that took the three devices onboard 290 miles into the air, according to Ahmad Hosseini, a Defense Ministry spokesman. “The performance of the space center and the performance of the satellite carrier was done properly,” Hosseini was quoted as saying. The launch may have failed, considering Hosseini or any other official is yet to publicly confirm if the mission worked as intended. State-associated journalists reported Hosseini quoting a speed for the rocket that would be insufficient in attempting to reach orbit, according to the Associated Press. The launch and reported advances in the Iranian missile and space program come as negotiations continue to reinstate the Iran nuclear agreement that dissolved when former President Donald Trump took the U.S. out of the deal. Negotiations have taken place in Vienna this week and are set to continue into the new year. Iran aired footage of the blastoff against the backdrop of negotiations in Vienna to restore Tehran’s tattered nuclear deal with world powers. An eight round had been underway this week and is to resume after New Year’s holidays. Previous launches have drawn rebukes from the United States.
