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Iran’s Revolutionary Guards launched a research satellite putting it into a higher orbit in a new milestone for its aerospace programme.
The U.S. has repeatedly warned Iran against such launches, saying the same technology can be used for ballistic missiles, including ones designed to deliver a nuclear warhead.
The Soraya satellite was successfully launched with the Ghaem-100 satellite carrier of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps,” the official news agency said.
This is the first time that Iran has successfully placed a satellite in orbits higher than 500 km.
Soraya satellite – Basic details
The Soraya satellite was placed in an orbit at some 750 kilometers (460 miles) above the Earth's surface with its three-stage Qaem 100 rocket, the state-run IRNA news agency said.
It did not immediately acknowledge what the satellite did, though telecommunications minister Isa Zarepour described the launch as having a 50-kilogram (110-pound) payload.
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