Iran plans to send monkey into space
in this picture: A monkey is seen displayed behind the window of the satellite carrier, Kavoshgar-4, in Tehran, February 7, 2011 (Vahidreza Alaii: Reuters)
Mar 17, 2011 - via abc.net.au
Iran has launched a rocket into space carrying a test capsule designed to house an animal, the official IRNA news agency said, amid Western concerns over Tehran's scientific advances.
The Kavoshgar-4 rocket was launched without fanfare on March 15, the report said, citing the president's office.
The capsule, unveiled by president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on February 7, is designed to carry a monkey but there were no living creatures on board, IRNA added.
"This important scientific experiment was carried out on Esfand 24 (March 15) by the Iranian Space Agency," IRNA said.
Iran had announced it would conduct the launch before the end of Iranian year on March 21.
The space agency managed to "test the system performance... the launch platform, engine, electronic and telemetry systems and the system of separation" between the rocket and its load, according to IRNA.
Mr Ahmadinejad announced in February during celebrations marking the 32nd anniversary of the 1979 Islamic revolution that the capsule would be tested before carrying a monkey into space.
Iran, which has outlined an ambitious space program in the face of Western concerns, put a satellite into orbit in 2009 and sent small animals into space in 2010.
Western powers fear that Tehran could develop a missile capability, masked behind a science program, that could deliver nuclear warheads. Iran denies that its nuclear and space work have military dimensions.
The Kavoshgar-4, also unveiled in February, has been touted as capable of carrying a payload to an altitude of 120 kilometres.
IRNA confirmed on Thursday that tests of data and imagery transmission were conducted at this altitude.
- AFP
Iran has launched a rocket into space carrying a test capsule designed to house an animal, the official IRNA news agency said, amid Western concerns over Tehran's scientific advances.
The Kavoshgar-4 rocket was launched without fanfare on March 15, the report said, citing the president's office.
The capsule, unveiled by president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on February 7, is designed to carry a monkey but there were no living creatures on board, IRNA added.
"This important scientific experiment was carried out on Esfand 24 (March 15) by the Iranian Space Agency," IRNA said.
Iran had announced it would conduct the launch before the end of Iranian year on March 21.
The space agency managed to "test the system performance... the launch platform, engine, electronic and telemetry systems and the system of separation" between the rocket and its load, according to IRNA.
Mr Ahmadinejad announced in February during celebrations marking the 32nd anniversary of the 1979 Islamic revolution that the capsule would be tested before carrying a monkey into space.
Iran, which has outlined an ambitious space program in the face of Western concerns, put a satellite into orbit in 2009 and sent small animals into space in 2010.
Western powers fear that Tehran could develop a missile capability, masked behind a science program, that could deliver nuclear warheads. Iran denies that its nuclear and space work have military dimensions.
The Kavoshgar-4, also unveiled in February, has been touted as capable of carrying a payload to an altitude of 120 kilometres.
IRNA confirmed on Thursday that tests of data and imagery transmission were conducted at this altitude.
- AFP
Iran admits space monkey launch a failure
Iran has acknowledged its attempt to send a live monkey into space last month - touted as its first step towards launching a man into space - was a failure.
October 13, 2011 - via abc.net.au
"The Kavoshgar-5 rocket carrying a capsule with a live animal [a monkey] was launched during Shahrivar," an Iranian calendar month spanning August 23 to September 22, deputy science minister Mohammad Mehdinejad-Nouri was quoted as saying by the ISNA news agency.
"However, the launch was not publicised as all of its anticipated objectives were not accomplished."
He said the launch of a live animal into space was "strategic, and a priority," and expressed hope that future launches would attain more of the objectives set.
On October 3, Iran indefinitely postponed plans to send a live monkey into space, without giving any reasons.
"One cannot give a set date for this project and as soon as our nation's scientists announce the readiness [of the project] it will be announced," said Hamid Fazeli, head of Iran's Space Organisation.
The project envisaged launching a capsule with life support using the Kavoshgar-5 rocket to an altitude of 120 kilometres for a 20-minute sub-orbital flight.
The project was unveiled in February by president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
At the time, Mr Fazeli touted the launch of a large animal as the first step towards sending a man into space, which Tehran says is scheduled for 2020.
In mid-March, Iran announced the successful launch of an earlier version of the rocket, Kavoshgar-4, carrying a test capsule designed to house the monkey.
Iran has already sent small animals into space - a rat, turtles and worms - aboard a capsule carried by its Kavoshgar-3 rocket in 2010.
The Islamic republic, which first put a satellite into orbit in 2009, has outlined an ambitious space program amid Western concerns the rocket technology may be linked to developing ballistic missiles that could deliver nuclear warheads.
Tehran has repeatedly denied its nuclear and scientific programs mask military ambitions.
AFP
"The Kavoshgar-5 rocket carrying a capsule with a live animal [a monkey] was launched during Shahrivar," an Iranian calendar month spanning August 23 to September 22, deputy science minister Mohammad Mehdinejad-Nouri was quoted as saying by the ISNA news agency.
"However, the launch was not publicised as all of its anticipated objectives were not accomplished."
He said the launch of a live animal into space was "strategic, and a priority," and expressed hope that future launches would attain more of the objectives set.
On October 3, Iran indefinitely postponed plans to send a live monkey into space, without giving any reasons.
"One cannot give a set date for this project and as soon as our nation's scientists announce the readiness [of the project] it will be announced," said Hamid Fazeli, head of Iran's Space Organisation.
The project envisaged launching a capsule with life support using the Kavoshgar-5 rocket to an altitude of 120 kilometres for a 20-minute sub-orbital flight.
The project was unveiled in February by president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
At the time, Mr Fazeli touted the launch of a large animal as the first step towards sending a man into space, which Tehran says is scheduled for 2020.
In mid-March, Iran announced the successful launch of an earlier version of the rocket, Kavoshgar-4, carrying a test capsule designed to house the monkey.
Iran has already sent small animals into space - a rat, turtles and worms - aboard a capsule carried by its Kavoshgar-3 rocket in 2010.
The Islamic republic, which first put a satellite into orbit in 2009, has outlined an ambitious space program amid Western concerns the rocket technology may be linked to developing ballistic missiles that could deliver nuclear warheads.
Tehran has repeatedly denied its nuclear and scientific programs mask military ambitions.
AFP
Iran renews plan to send monkey into space
Capsule carrying a monkey to be launched by mid-February, Iran's Space Organization chief says
January 16, 2013 - via ynetnews.com
Iran will try again to send a live monkey into space after a previous attempt failed in 2011, media reports said Tuesday quoting the space chief, who gave a launch date of before mid-February.
"The final tests for launching the capsule, carrying a monkey, have been completed," Iran's Space Organization chief Hamid Fazeli said in remarks reported by the Mehr news agency.
Fazeli said the launch would take place during a 10-day period starting January 31, which marks the 34th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic revolution, the state television website reported.
Iran has already sent small animals into space - a rat, turtles and worms - but its previous attempt to send a live monkey into space failed in 2011, which was announced without explanation.
Fazeli said the monkey project would help Iran "implement the preparations of sending a man into space," which officials say is scheduled for 2020.
The previous project envisaged launching a capsule with life support using the Kavoshgar-5 rocket to an altitude of 120 kilometers (75 miles) for a 20-minute sub-orbital flight.
Iran says it has successfully launched three satellites - Omid in February 2009, Rassad in June 2011 and Navid in February 2012.
But it postponed, without explanation, the planned launch in May of another satellite called Fajr.
Iran's space program deeply unsettles Western nations, which fear it could be used to develop ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads they suspect are being developed in secret.
Tehran has repeatedly denied that its nuclear and scientific programs mask military ambitions.
Source
Iran will try again to send a live monkey into space after a previous attempt failed in 2011, media reports said Tuesday quoting the space chief, who gave a launch date of before mid-February.
"The final tests for launching the capsule, carrying a monkey, have been completed," Iran's Space Organization chief Hamid Fazeli said in remarks reported by the Mehr news agency.
Fazeli said the launch would take place during a 10-day period starting January 31, which marks the 34th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic revolution, the state television website reported.
Iran has already sent small animals into space - a rat, turtles and worms - but its previous attempt to send a live monkey into space failed in 2011, which was announced without explanation.
Fazeli said the monkey project would help Iran "implement the preparations of sending a man into space," which officials say is scheduled for 2020.
The previous project envisaged launching a capsule with life support using the Kavoshgar-5 rocket to an altitude of 120 kilometers (75 miles) for a 20-minute sub-orbital flight.
Iran says it has successfully launched three satellites - Omid in February 2009, Rassad in June 2011 and Navid in February 2012.
But it postponed, without explanation, the planned launch in May of another satellite called Fajr.
Iran's space program deeply unsettles Western nations, which fear it could be used to develop ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads they suspect are being developed in secret.
Tehran has repeatedly denied that its nuclear and scientific programs mask military ambitions.
Source
Iran has sent a monkey into space
Monkey returned unscathed after rocket launch
Published on 28 Jan 2013 - via emirates 24/7
Iran said on Monday it had launched a live monkey into space, seeking to show off missile delivery systems that are alarming to the West given Tehran's parallel advances in nuclear technology.
The defence ministry announced the launch as world powers sought to agree a date and venue with Iran for resuming talks to resolve a nuclear standoff with the West.
Efforts to nail down a new meeting have failed repeatedly and the powers fear Iran is exploiting the diplomatic vacuum to hone the means to produce nuclear weapons.
The powers have proposed new talks in February, a spokesman for the European Union's foreign policy chief said on Monday, hours after Russia urged all concerned to "stop behaving like children" and commit to a meeting.
Iran earlier in the day denied media reports of a major explosion at one of its most sensitive, underground enrichment plants, describing them as Western propaganda designed to influence the nuclear talks.
The defence ministry said the space launch of the monkey coincided "with the days of" the Prophet Mohammad's (PBUH) birthday, which was last week, but gave no date, according to a statement carried by the official news agency IRNA.
The launch was "another giant step" in space technology and biological research "which is the monopoly of a few countries," the statement said.
The monkey was sent up in a Kavoshgar rocket dubbed "Pishgam" (Pioneer), reaching a height of more than 120km, IRNA said.
"This shipment returned safely to Earth with the anticipated speed along with the live organism," Defence Minister Ahmad Vahidi told the semi-official Fars news agency.
"The launch of Kavoshgar and its retrieval is the first step towards sending humans into space in the next phase."
Iran's English-language Press TV displayed photographs of the monkey inside its capsule, but did not say if these were from before or after the launch.
There was no independent confirmation of the launch.
The West worries that long-range ballistic technology used to propel Iranian satellites into orbit could be put to delivering nuclear warheads.
Bruno Gruselle of France's Foundation for Strategic Research, said that if the monkey launch report were true it would suggest a "quite significant" engineering feat by Iran.
"If you can show that you are able to protect a vehicle of this sort from re-entry, then you can probably protect a military warhead and make it survive the high temperatures and high pressures of re-entering," Gruselle said.
The monkey launch would be similar to sending up a satellite weighing some 2,000 kg, he said. Success would suggest a capacity to deploy a surface-to-surface missile with a range of a few thousand kilometres.
The Islamic Republic announced plans in 2011 to send a monkey into space, but that attempt was reported to have failed.
Nuclear-weapons capability requires three components - enough fissile material such as highly enriched uranium, a reliable weapons device miniaturised to fit into a missile cone, and an effective delivery system, such as a ballistic missile that can grow out of a space launch programme.
MANOEUVRING OVER NEXT TALKS
A spokesman for EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said the powers had offered a February meeting to Iran, after a proposal to meet at the end of January was refused.
"Iran did not accept our offer to go to Istanbul on January 28 and 29 and so we have offered new dates in February. We have continued to offer dates since December. We are disappointed the Iranians have not yet agreed," Michael Mann reporters.
He said Iranian negotiators had imposed new conditions for resuming talks and that EU powers were concerned this might be a stalling tactic. The last in a sporadic series of fruitless talks was held last June.
Iranian officials deny blame for the delays and say Western countries squandered opportunities for meetings by waiting until after the U.S. presidential election in November.
"We have always said that we are ready to negotiate until a result is reached and we have never broken off discussions," IRNA quoted Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi as saying.
Salehi has suggested holding the next round in Cairo but that the powers wanted another venue. He also said that Sweden, Kazakhstan and Switzerland had offered to host the talks.
In Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told a news conference: "We are ready to meet at any location as soon as possible. We believe the essence of our talks is far more important (than the site), and we hope that common sense will prevail and we will stop behaving like little children."
Ashton is overseeing diplomatic contacts on behalf of the powers hoping to persuade Tehran to stop higher-grade uranium enrichment and accept stricter U.N. inspections in return for civilian nuclear cooperation and relief from U.N. sanctions.
IRAN DENIES FORDOW BLAST
Reuters has been unable to verify reports since Friday of an explosion early last week at the underground Fordow bunker, near the holy city of Qom, that some Israeli and Western media said wrought heavy damage.
"The false news of an explosion at Fordow is Western propaganda ahead of nuclear negotiations to influence their process and outcome," IRNA quoted deputy Iranian nuclear energy agency chief Saeed Shamseddin Bar Broudi as saying.
In late 2011 the plant at Fordow began producing uranium enriched to 20 per cent fissile purity, well above the 3.5 per cent level normally needed for nuclear power stations.
Western governments say the higher-grade enrichment marks a notable step towards weapons-grade uranium, even though it is below the 90 per cent level suitable for nuclear bombs.
Iran says its enhanced enrichment is to make fuel for a Tehran research reactor that produces isotopes for medical care.
Diplomats in Vienna, where the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency is based, said on Monday they had no knowledge of any incident at Fordow but were looking into the reports. One Western diplomat said he did not believe them to be correct.
The U.N. International Atomic Energy Agency, which regularly inspects Iranian nuclear sites including Fordow, had no immediate comment.
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Photo via Atta Kenare/AFP/Getty Images; photo courtesy of Mahir Zeynalov
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The American and Soviet space programs experimented in their infancy with sending animals to space to test if the venture would be safe for humans. Albert I, a Rhesus monkey launched by the United States in a V-2 rocket, became the first monkey in space in 1948, but he suffocated during flight. Albert II was launched in 1949. He survived his trip but later died in a parachute accident. Laika, a Soviet dog, became the first animal to orbit Earth in 1957.
