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BEIRUT, Lebanon, June 20 (UPI) -- The real importance of Iran's recent launch of its Rasad-1 satellite, the second it's put into orbit in two years, is the Safir booster rocket used to loft the 34-pound, data-gathering craft into space. That technology produces intercontinental ballistic missiles.

Iran's state television reported that the June 16 launch thrust Rasad, which means "Observation" in Farsi, went into orbit 163 miles above the Earth.

The satellite had been scheduled for launch in August 2010 and there was no explanation for the delay at a time when U.N. experts are reported to have concluded Iran has accelerated its efforts to develop long-range missiles.

These include the Shehab-3b and Sejjil-2 intermediate-range ballistic missiles capable to hitting the Persian Gulf Arab states and Israel, by passing tough sanctions imposed by the U.N. Security Council in June 2010 over Iran's contentious nuclear program.

Tehran is reported to have increased the military budget by more than 40 percent, from $7 billion to $10 billion a year, apparently to fund the construction of more ballistic missiles. This was possible because of rising oil prices.

Rasad-1 was built at the Malek Ashtar University, founded and run by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, the elite military organization that's in charge of Iran's ballistic missile program and the strategic missile command.

This underlines the military aspect o... >>>