Confusion reigns among defence analysts over Iran’s claim to have launched a rocket to a sub-orbital altitude. The country’s existing 2000-kilometre-range tactical missiles are already known to be capable of reaching that altitude, so analysts can’t understand why Iran should brag about it. Might it mean that an attempted orbital mission failed?
On Sunday, the Iranian state broadcaster’s website said Iran had “fired a missile able to reach space”. This was later revised to say the rocket “would rise to about 150 kilometres” before landing by parachute. Low-Earth orbit starts at 200 kilometres.
“My guess is that this is a cobbled-together explanation for something that didn’t…
