Iran: Second Monkey Sent into Space

إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية W460

Iran's president said Saturday that the Islamic Republic has successfully sent a monkey into space for the second time, part of a program aimed at manned space flight.

Hassan Rouhani's website president.ir said that the launch of the rocket dubbed Pajohesh, or Research in Farsi, was Iran's first use of liquid fuel. It said the monkey, named Fargam or Auspicious, was returned to earth safely.

It did not say when the launch took place or give other details.

Iran frequently claims technological breakthroughs that are impossible to independently verify. The Islamic Republic has said it seeks to send an astronaut into space as part of an ambitious aerospace program.

Iran said that it sent its first monkey into space in January, reaching a height of 120 kilometers (72 miles).

One of two official packages of photos of the simian space traveler depicted the wrong monkey, however, raising doubts among international observers as to whether the launch was as successful as reported.

The U.S. and its allies worry that technology from the space program could also be used to develop long-range missiles that could potentially be armed with nuclear warheads.

Comments 1
Thumb Maxx 15 December 2013, 00:35

Yeah, and moreover, the LRS developed the technology from scratch, and didn't get it from North Korea like Iran, and did it on a shoelace budget with the whole Society being composed of a dozen students who didn't have the immense resources - both material and Human - of China and India. AND, at a time when the Soviets and the Americans were only slightly ahead in the space race. The shut down of the Lebanese space program ranks definitely high on the list of "shu di3ana" possibilities for this nation. I haven't watched Hadjithomas's movie yet, but I hope it inspires a new generation of Lebanese not just with pride at their history and achievements, but also to seek anew to turn Lebanon into something better than being a by-word for a failed state. Amen.