The Shah Never Did That: The Islamic Republic of Iran has successfully achieved earth orbit with its first-ever satellite. According to wire services reports, the Iranian Sina-1 spacecraft on Oct. 27 was launched from a Russian space center aboard a launch vehicle built by Iranian and Russian scientists. Sina-1 was one of nine space vehicles carried into space on the rocket. The Iranian spacecraft is described as a research satellite that will survey the surface of the Earth, according to the Russian Space Agency.
In a nighttime ceremony contrived to continue concealment of many of its features, the new B-21 bomber rolled out of Northrop Grumman's Palmdale, Calif. plant Dec. 2. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the aircraft's advanced technology represents "deterrence, the American way."