Iran fired a research rocket on February 4, 2008, from a new space center in the Semnan Province, southeast of Tehran. According to Iran, the rocket, called the Kavoshgar-1 [Kavosghar], or Researcher-1, was test fired in preparation for the launch, planned in June, of Iran's first domestically made satellite. Iran claimed that Kavoshgar succesfully placed a space probe into orbit at an altitude of 200-250 kilometers, and that the probe was sending real-time data back to earth.

Read reactions and analysis from around the world:

The Wisconsin Project's interviews Israeli missile expert Uzi Rubin on Iran's missile capability, 3-14-06.

Moscow Concerned About Iran's Tests Of Launch Vehicle, Moscow Interfax in English via opensource.gov, 2-6-08.

French Foreign Ministry says Iran's missile test was not "extra-atmospheric," 2-7-08.

AIPAC: More Sanctions Needed as Iran Advances Uranium Enrichment, Missile Technology, 2-8-08. (PDF)

Arms Control Wonk commentary by Geoff Forden on Shahab-3 test, 2-10-08.

Israel's Institute for National Security Studies on Iran's space program and the Kavoshgar rocket, Yiftah Shapir, INSS Insight No. 48, 3-5-08.

WMD Insights: Test of Iranian Space Launch Vehicle Causes Another Crack in Russian-Iranian Relations, 3-08.