On the way to launch satellite carrier rockets

Iran fired a rocket from its newly inaugurated space center Monday, laying the groundwork for what it says will be the future launch of its first domestically produced satellite, the semi-official FARS news agency reported.

The "Researcher One" rocket is designed to carry a satellite into a low earth orbit.

Monday's launch came a short time after Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad inaugurated the center Monday, according to the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency.

Ahmadinejad said Iran's first step in the field of space technology had been taken wisely and precisely, IRNA reported.

"With the launch, Iran has joined the world's top 11 countries possessing space technology to build satellites, and launch rockets into space," state TV said.

In February 2007, Iran announced the launch of "its first satellite into space," the state-run Iranian Students News Agency reported at the time. But the satellite did not reach orbit.

Space is considered to begin at 60 miles (100 kilometers) above ground. Ham radio satellites orbit from 100 miles up, while communication, weather and global-positioning satellites fly at an altitude of between 250 and 12,000 miles, according to The Associated Press.

P.S. This report contains as well that this rocket didn't carry any satellite this time and was a pre launching before the main rocket which will take the first Iranian totally domestic made satellite to the orbit.