February – Iran reported a successful launch of its first domestically-produced satellite into orbit aboard a Safir-2 rocket. According to official reports, the satellite, called Omid or Hope in Farsi, is intended for telecommunications and research activities. The launch makes Iran the 11th country to put a satellite into orbit since the Soviet Union launched Sputnik in 1957.

Click here to view this event in the SSPI Satellite Industry Timeline.

Visit the SSPI Satellite Industry Timeline to tour the decades of the Satellite Era.

The SSPI Satellite Timeline is the first interactive site on the Web to chronicle the rich and diverse history of the commercial satellite industry. Launched in October 2007 – the 50th anniversary of Sputnik – the Timeline is a learning tool for satellite professionals, students, the news media and the innovative companies that make up the industry.