As you undoubtedly noticed, Iran launched a rocket on February 2. And released pictures of a space launch vehicle. Which may not be the same thing.
As some of you may know, Geoff Forden is going through some personal stuff right now, which is why we are missing his usual detailed commentary on Iran’s space launch. (He has something coming, but I am inclined to be patient.)
So, in honor of Geoff, I am just going to create an open thread for the Iranian space launch. Here are images from IRNA, ISNA and Mehr to get you started.
Have at it.
Geoff, I hope all goes well and wish you best of luck.
lsxaq
> As you undoubtedly noticed, Iran put a satellite in orbit on February 2.
Did it? I don’t see anything on Space Track that looks like one, nor have the usual satellite-watching suspects given any indications of it.
Might this have been an up-and-down, suborbital microgravity experiment instead?
Sorry, Alan, I was rushing.
Thanks lsxaq! I appreciate your kind thoughts.
The news coverage was intermittently confusing suborbital with an orbital mission; the last word I saw was suborbital shot.
It wasnt really a space lunch. No orbital lunch that is. They simply sent a rocket up and brought the remains down with parachutes.
Can someone clarify as to whether or not the rotation of the rocket depicted at the 0:36 mark in the video here is normal? Some of the launches I’ve seen where this occurs are abject failures (the first Titan II silo launch comes to mind).
‘Smith’:
That type of rocket (i think the ‘Kavoshgar-3’ is a Zelzal-1/Iran-130/Nazeat-6H/Saegeh with a recoverable payload-compartment instead of the usual warhead – exactly like the ‘Kavoshgar-2’) is unguided (that’s why it’s launched from a rail – to give it a ‘defined’ direction), but doesn’t have an additional spin-up-motor like e.g. the FROG-7 or the Zelzal-2, so a rotation of the rocket may not be intended, but is possible e.g. due to slightly unsymmetric fins or other factors.
Nonetheless, this is not necessarily an indicator of failure in that kind of missile. In case of a guided missile like the Titan II, such a rotation would indicate failure of the roll-control-system, but unguided missiles aren’t actively controlled anyway.
Jochen – thanks for the information. This site is always great for learning.