Source: Mehr News Agency, Tehran

The Head of Iranian Space Agency (ISA) says that it will launch a living animal capsule into space during Fajr Ceremonies ( a 10-day period starting January 31, which marks the 34th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic revolution).

Monkeys in Space
Sam, a Rhesus monkey, flew to an altitude of 88 km in 1959. (NASA)

Hamid Fazeli told Mehr News that Iran would examine the probability of sending a human to space. "Testing phase of these living capsules has ended and monkeys to be sent to space are now in quarantine," he added. "These monkeys will be sent into space according to a timetable on Fajr Ceremonies," he asserted.

"The capsule is called 'Pishgam' (Persian for Pioneer), launching human is future program of the Agency, which would be possible within 5 and 8 years," he explained.

"Positioning the weight vibrations and other conditions conducive to human presence in space is investigated through this life capsule," he said, "monkeys have similarities to humans, so with them in space, we can examine human factors in space," he explained.

According to him, developing sensors built into space explorers and testing space radiation protection facilities has been among Agency's future plans. "student-made satellite, Sharif sat, will be put to Earth orbit by the end of current Persian year," he told Mehr News.

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