Provides a detailed look at the events and policies surrounding the Iranian space endeavor.
For those who see the trend of progress and movement of the Iranian space endeavor from the outside, it can be difficult to understand what goes on behind the scenes. However, for one who observes these events firsthand, they take on a very different meaning. In this book, the author brings new and different profiles of Iran¿s space endeavor to light. Iran claims to be the ninth leading country in the world capable of manufacturing satellites and launching them, plans to land an astronaut on the Moon within a decade, and says its own president plans to be the first Iranian astronaut to travel into space. The author explains in this book that not all of these claims are quite as they seem. In addition to technical explanations, the book also includes historical, legal, social and cultural aspects of Iran¿s space program as well. It is the author¿s goal to create a tangible feeling of Iran¿s space endeavor for the readers.

Dr. Parviz Tarikhi is a space science and technology specialist in Iran, majoring in radar remote sensing since 1994. He holds a PhD in physics from Knightsbridge University in Denmark, focusing on microwave remote sensing. He has been involved with the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UN-COPUOS) since 2000, including as Second Vice-Chair and Rapporteur in 2004-06 of the committee bureau. Since 2001, he has co-chaired Action Team Number 1 of UNISPACE-III with the mission to "develop a comprehensive worldwide environmental monitoring strategy." From 2004-07 he led the Office for Specialized International Cooperation of the Iranian Space Agency. He is also a freelance journalist and technical writer.

Introduction.- From Air Into Space, Formation of Industrial Infrastructure.- Education and Public Awareness for Capacity Building.- Legislation, Managerial and Administrational Turmoil.- Bureaucratized Research.- Applications and Services.- Outreach, International Cooperation and Retrogradation of Vision.- Development of Domestic Satellites, Space Apparatus, Launchers and Ground Facilities.- Space Plans, Ambitions, Short-Sightedness and Paranoia.- Breaching the Principles and Ethical Crisis.- Discussion, Argument and Analysis.- Conclusions.