* Astronomy

 Iran space centre now '80% complete'

Iran's new space centre, which will be used to launch both its own and other Islamic nations' satellites, is now 80% complete according to news reports.
Currently, Iran has two space exploration facilities - a launch centre near Semnan, 200 kilometres east of Tehran, and a satellite monitoring site outside Mahdasht, about 70 kilometres west of the Iranian capital.
Iranian defence minister, Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi has not provided any timeline for the launch. He also failed to announce the location of the new centre, which will be named after the Islamic republic's founder Ayatollah Khomeini.
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