With all the media coverage on Super Bowl, and our Super Tuesday election it not surprising that Iran hasn't been the main headline but it looks as if the world's media are claiming it launched its first satellite into space.

This news is a surprise to me because I thought their rocket wasn't really up to the Sputnik or Explorer1 standard, its based on North Korean tech (which failed to launch that kwang song). I looked up the rocket on google and found Iran's missile only had a range of 800 miles or 1300 km). Cynics of course might claim Iran has little interest in space exploration and this is another part of some military US VS Iran game. I would be surprised if they put a sat into orbit

Can anyone confirm or debunk the news ?

Apparently it was a suborbital launch:

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/...ket/index.html

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So, it's really not a satellite? The article was unclear if it was meant to be in orbit, and clouded the issue with a lot of altitude discussion.

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1. I wonder why the AP seemingly ignores geo-synch communications satellites at 22,600 miles?

2. That said, can't blame the CNN article for Iran's deliberate obfuscation of the details. Media can't verify how high the rocket flew, or where it landed so they have to depend on subject matter experts or "official" declarations. Even when the "official" source is dubious.

ETA: This material may be better - with images.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories...MPLATE=DEFAULT

its looking a rocket which is in the take of stage vertically, or something different, may be a launching preparation or a demo to send the sattelite next time ??, I really don't know, but I have read this news here in India, in which photograph was not present.

are they overtaking(going forward) nasa, jaxa, isro etc. by implementing an aggressive program in "finding life beyond our planet".

No, you can't blame CNN for that. But; you can blame CNN for re-wording it to the point of making it less clear...
...Yes, this is clearer, which re-inforces my comment.
So; I see two different things here.
1) the launch. The article indicates they only have an 800 mile range, and possibly a new version of one with 1200 mile range. This does not make for a satellite rocket launch.
2) the satellite. Obviously they are going to contract the launch out if #1 is correct.

And it's not the Iranian news release talking about reaching orbit level [altitude]. It's the news reporter stressing altitude and orbit rather than speed.

which sounds like a seperate point than them launching a rocket.

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So which media sources claimed they actually launched satellite into space?

The concern is that the ability to put a significant payload in orbit means you have the ability to put a significant payload almost anywhere on the planet, (i.e. ICBMs).

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PakistanDwan, Iranmania and other dubious sources. The BBC and Al Jazzera confirmed Iran launched something but couldn't confirm if it went into space

it even upset the Ruskies

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7230396.stm

I think some of the confusion about suborbital verses orbital launches is due to a general ignorance about space by most journalists. Launching a rocket "into space" isn't that big a deal. The US launched captured V-2 rockets into space many times in the years following WWII. Those rockets were only capable of reaching a small fraction of orbital velocity.

The concern, like others have mentioned, is that building a rocket powerful enough to put a satellite into space (even a small one) requires exactly the same technology necessary to build a long range missile with the exception of heat shielding for the warhead. It doesn't necessarily have to be an ICBM, either. The US Thor IRBM (later evolved into the Delta) was used as a satellite launcher for a number of years. As a missile, it had a range of about 1500 miles. With an Able upper stage, it could launch small payloads into LEO.

Or maybe they want to shoot down satellites by temporarily placing something in the way of its orbit.

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in how much time this shuttle breaked the gravity of earth,(in 11 minutes or more than this ). whether it was launched by the assistance of the cryogenic engine? are they using propen as a liquid fuel? or it has a solid cells to provide the energy to the shuttle? was that sattelite placed in the geo synchronous orbit !!. (just asking as a curiosity)

It wasn't a shuttle, and it didn't even get into low orbital velocity, let alone geosynchronous. It barely got above the atmosphere. It didn't break the gravity of Earth; it didn't even dent it!

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Drawings of the rockets
http://www.globalsecurity.org/space/...ch-attempt.htm

http://www.globalsecurity.org/space/...velopments.jpg