Will Iran launch a satellite into orbit by the end of 2009?

Hasn't this already hapenned?

No, Iran has not launched anything into space as of yet, however they claim they have. (Experts doubt that the rocket launched actually made it into space)

They launched a rocket - but not a satellite.

I'm going to leave this suspended for a while, because the current reports are still a little contradictory. It does look to me, though, that there was only the carrier rocket fired, not a satellite. This, 2 hours ago, from Iran (Alalam News Network): http://www.alalam.ir/english/en-NewsPage.asp?newsid=031030120080817185546

But we'll wait and see.

Officially, I believe, a rocket is a satellite if it achieves orbit. I do not know how one distinguishes a satellite from a rocket, although usually a satellite emanates from the rocket... (but it need not be so). Just my thoughts re whether a rocket can be classified as a satellite....if the rocket does not achieve orbit, of course, then it is not a satellite... (it is classified as a sounding rocket -- as this is how the atmosphere was sounded -- measurements made).

On the basis of this: http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/08/17/iran.rocket/ I am going to say that (although there are press reports saying they did, usually based on the original IRNA report) that it has not been conclusively reported that they launched a satellite into orbit, as required for this question to settle as Yes. (Note that this article: http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5i6GDVSYZ8ZfCIlvck4iWolN6Yb9A quotes the head of the Iranian space agency as saying they launched a dummy satellite into orbit.)

So I'm going to re-open the question. It's still possible this launch will be verified to have launched a satellite (if not a working one), but based on past overstatements by Iran on missile testing, I will only settle as Yes if this is independently verified by NASA or some such agency.

i doubt they have a missle capable of doing this. if they did they would show it off..ie announce the launch so the world could see-monitor it. jmho.