International Institute For Strategic Studies

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – Amid the West’s ongoing concerns about Tehran’s nuclear program and suspected intentions to build an atomic bomb, Iran on Friday announced it successfully launched its heaviest-ever payload into space using a domestically manufactured rocket, DW reports. A payload is the cargo or mission equipment that is carried into space on a rocket.

Sent from the Imam Khomeini Spaceport in Semnan province using the Simorgh two-stage, liquid-fueled satellite carrier, the payload launched by Iran on December 6 comprised a telecommunications satellite and a space tug and weighed about 300 kilograms (660 pounds), DW reports.

The Simorgh was developed by Iran’s Ministry of Defense and saw several failed launches before last week’s attempt. The reported success of Friday’s launch has not been independently verified, DW said.

However, DW noted in its report: “Iran’s space program has seen significant developments recently. The country’s space agency has conducted multiple successful satellite launches this year. The launches reflect Tehran’s advancing capabilities in aerospace technology.”

While Iran says both its nuclear and space programs are being advanced for civilian purposes, the US, Israel, and European states contend that technology used for satellite development and launches may be used to build missiles that deliver nuclear warheads.

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