Shahab 3 Credit - © Mark Wade

Iranian derivative of North Korean No Dong 1 intermediate range ballistic missile, evolved incrementally with Russian assistance into a longer-range missile and the first stage of an orbital launch vehicle.

The missile began flight tests in 1998 and on 7 July 2003 Iranian state radio reported that the final trials test had been conducted a few weeks earlier and the missile had been accepted by the military. It was also reported that the larger Shahab 4 missile had been cancelled, since the Shahab 3 had been provided with a greater payload in its place. Western sources indicated Russian technology was used in the improvement of the Shahab 3.

In November 2004 US intelligence sources stated that the version of the missile used in 2004 tests had been stretched 15% and equipped with a larger payload fairing, indicating possible preparations for the long-announced Iranian indigenous satellite launch. A stretched Shahab-3 with improved performance, topped with two upper stages, would be equivalent to the French Diamant launcher of the 1960's. It would certainly be capable of orbiting the 60 kg Mesbah satellite mentioned in the press, and possibly the 170 kg mentioned for the follow-on satellite.

Launches: 9. Failures: 2. Success Rate: 77.78%. First Launch Date: 1998-07-22. Last Launch Date: 2006-11-01. Launch data is: incomplete. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi). Liftoff Thrust: 255.000 kN (57,326 lbf). Total Mass: 14,500 kg (31,900 lb). Core Diameter: 1.19 m (3.90 ft). Total Length: 14.82 m (48.61 ft). Standard warhead mass: 700 kg (1,540 lb). Maximum range: 1,200 km (700 mi). Boost Propulsion: Storable liquid rocket. Guidance: Inertial.

1998 July 22 - Launch Site: Emamshahr. Launch Vehicle: Shahab 3. FAILURE: Failure.

• Test mission Nation: Iran. Agency: Iran. References: 1675.

• Iranian satellite launcher mockup exhibited Nation: Iran. Iranian television showed what appeared to be a mock-up of a clam-shell nosecone with a small satellite inside and a model of a space launch vehicle with a bulbous payload section, apparently based upon the Shahab 3 joint North Korean/Iranian IRBM.

• Test mission Nation: Iran. Agency: Iran. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi). References: 1823.

• Test mission Nation: Iran. Agency: Iran. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi). References: 1864.

• Test mission Nation: Iran. Agency: Iran. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi). References: 1874.

• Shahab 3 Test Launch 6 Nation: Iran. Agency: Revolutionary Guard Air Force. Missile built by Shahid Hemmat IG

• Test mission Nation: Iran. Agency: Iran. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi). Missile demonstration flight. Stretched Shahab-3 launched into Dasht-E-Kavir desert. References: 1823.

• Test mission Nation: Iran. Agency: Iran. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi). Missile demonstration flight. Stretched Shahab-3 launched into Dasht-E-Kavir desert. References: 1823.

• Shahab 3D Test mission Nation: Iran. Agency: RGAF. Manufacturer: Shahid Hemmat IG. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi). Test

• Iranian multiple missile firings Nation: Iran. Agency: Revolutionary Guards. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi). The Iranians fired at least one Shahab-3 and "dozens of" Shahab-2, Zolfaghar-73, Scud B, Fath-110 and Zelzal missiles in a mass firing demonstration to kick off their Great Prophet 2 military exercise. It marked the first firing of the Shahab 3 by troops on exercise as opposed to a test flight. The Shahab 2 was reported to have demonstrated a 1,400-bomblet cluster bomb warhead.

• McDowell, Jonathan, Jonathan's Space Home Page, Harvard University, 1997-present. Jonathan McDowell's complete on-line listing of all objects orbited and over 20,000 rocket launches Accessed at: http://www.planet4589.org/jsr.html.

• Federation of American Scientists Web Site, . Accessed at: http://www.fas.org/.

• Wire service and TV news reports..