Everything Is Awesome...Iran Puts Satellite Into Orbit UPDATE: North Korea Wants In On The Action Too

And the hits keep coming.

Iran said it had launched a domestically made satellite into orbit for the first time on Tuesday, prompting further concern among Western powers and in Israel over Tehran's nuclear ambitions.

Iran said the launch of the Omid (Hope) research and telecom satellite was a major step in its space technology timed to coincide with the 30th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic revolution that ousted the U.S.-backed shah.

The long-range ballistic technology used to put satellites into orbit could also be used for launching warheads, although Iran says it has no plans to do so.

"Dear Iranian nation, your children have placed the first indigenous satellite into orbit," President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said in a televised message, adding the launch was successful.

Defense Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar said Omid was orbiting earth. The ISNA news agency quoted him as saying: "We have established communications with it and the necessary information has been received."

This of course comes after indications that Obama is about to scrap European missile defense, which is aimed at Iran not the USSR Russia.

h/t to SteelJaw Scribe who has lots more thoughts on the launch and its implications.

Related: Things are more awesome than previously thought...N. Korea is about to test a missile!

North Korea is preparing to test fire a long range missile capable of striking the United States, according to media reports in South Korea and Japan this morning.

The Yonhap News Agency in Seoul quoted South Korean officials who described satellite image showing a long cylindrical object being transported on a train through the North Korean countryside. The sinister object has been identified as a Taepodong-2, an intercontinental missile with a range of more than 4000 miles, capable of crossing the Pacific and striking targets in Hawaii or Alaska.

Ah, it's truly a new age where our enemies simply embrace us and share recipes. I'm so glad we got rid of that meanie Bush and brought in Mr. Hope and Change.

posted by DrewM. at 01:55 PM

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