On Saturday, US Chief of Space Operations Gen. Jay Raymond tweeted that the recently launched Iranian satellite Noor-1 is "a tumbling webcam in space", which is "unlikely" to provide any useable intelligence data.
"@US_SpaceCom continues to track 2 objects @PeteAFB ’s @18SPCS associated w/#space launch from Iran, characterizing NOUR 01(#SATCAT 45529) as 3U Cubesat. Iran states it has imaging capabilities—actually, it’s a tumbling webcam in space; unlikely providing intel. #spaceishard", Raymond said.
Raymond's tweet, however, has been ridiculed by netizens, who mocked the American under the hashtag "#spaceishard".
@US_SpaceCom continues to track 2 objects @PeteAFB’s @18SPCS associated w/#space launch from Iran, characterizing NOUR 01(#SATCAT 45529) as 3U Cubesat. Iran states it has imaging capabilities—actually, it’s a tumbling webcam in space; unlikely providing intel. #spaceishard
— Gen. Jay Raymond (@SpaceForceCSO) April 25, 2020
Some users argued that Raymond's comment is a sign of "denial" that non-Western countries are capable of achievements in their space programmes.
And what proves your claim, I swear the west is in denial that other countries are capable and aren't from the west. Whatever Iran, China or Russia does it seems you the west is always trying to degrade accept the fact that they accomplished something ffs.
— Ummmm name (@NameUmmmm) April 25, 2020
"Space is hard" is a quote from NASA's space program ads, but also a catch phrase for every time something goes wrong.
#spaceishard from a general
— JPW (@JPW78930566) April 25, 2020
what is he twelve ?
that isn't an assessment.
— Cody Granrud (@12BravoGran) April 25, 2020
#spaceishard
— Angela pomps (@PompsAng) April 26, 2020
Then the Dragons came
Some came up with their own memes for the situation.
Bam!!!! pic.twitter.com/hDz41JtrwW
— Snafuperman (@Snafuperman1) April 25, 2020
lran launched its first military satellite 'Noor-1', which means "Light" in Persian, on Wednesday, and it has been successfully placed into an orbit about 425 kilometres above the Earth's surface. The launch came after several unsuccessful attempts to put a Zafar satellite into orbit aimed at gathering data on earthquakes and natural disasters.
US President Donald Trump tried to downpay the significance of the launch, while his appointed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tweeted that he had found the launch "deeply troubling".
