Iran unveils space center, launches rocket

Iran has claimed that it’s launched its first rocket into space. The missile, called Explorer-1, is part of a $500 million project to make Iran one of less than a dozen countries in the world able to launch objects into space.

Iran’s announcement was met with concern because a rocket capable of making it into space is also capable of hitting a target hundreds, or thousands, of miles away. Iran has said that their space program is meant for peaceful purposes, and in the future will be used to launch communications satellites.

They did not announce how high Explorer-1 flew, raising some doubts over whether it actually made it into space. “Space” is officially defined as an altitude above 62 miles.