A Really Hard Case: Iranian Space Ambitions and the Prospects for U.S. Engagement

On 27 October 2005, the first Iranian satellite-Sinah-1-was launched. The satellite failed soon after launch, but it represented a significant technological step by the Islamic Republic, and was also a statement of intent on behalf of Iranian space ambitions. Current and projected Iranian space capa...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Astropolitics 2006-08, Vol.4 (2), p.229-251
Main Author: Sheldon, John B.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Decision-making
Iran
Military policy
Space research and technology
Technical assistance
Weapons of mass destruction
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Summary:On 27 October 2005, the first Iranian satellite-Sinah-1-was launched. The satellite failed soon after launch, but it represented a significant technological step by the Islamic Republic, and was also a statement of intent on behalf of Iranian space ambitions. Current and projected Iranian space capabilities are highly dependent upon foreign technologies and expertise, but the Iranian nuclear and ballistic missile programmes offer a glimpse of how Iran's space programme may yet develop. This essay provides an overview of Iranian space capabilities, and places it within contemporary Iranian domestic and strategic contexts. It also offers an insight into how Iran's space programme is organized, and lastly, offers a view on how best the United States might influence Iran's space programme.
ISSN:1477-7622
1557-2943
DOI:10.1080/14777620600919176