Iran launches its first military satellite into space
IRGC describes launch as 'major achievement' for country's missile capabilities
ANKARA
Iran successfully launched on Wednesday the country’s first military satellite, Noor 1, into space, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said.
The IRGC, in a statement, said that the satellite had reached its orbit, 425 kilometers above the earth's surface.
The two-stage satellite carrier that carried Noor 1 took off from Iran’s Central Desert, the communique added.
The IRGC considers the launch a "major achievement" for Iran's missile capabilities.
Over the past years, the Gulf country tried sending satellites to space but failed. The last experiment was in February when it launched a communication satellite named Zafar 1, which didn't achieve the required speed to reach its orbit.
*Ahmed Asmar contributed to this report from Ankara