Iran Says It Sent Animals Into Space

What , No Monkeys ?


The New York Times
PARIS — In what seemed designed as a display of advancing missile technology, Iran said on Wednesday that it had test-fired a rocket into space carrying living organisms — a rat, two turtles and worms, according to the official Press TV broadcaster.

The launch of what was described as a Kavoshgar-3 missile, capable of carrying satellites, came at a juncture of other events showing the Tehran regime facing a series of challenges.

Iran is preparing to celebrate the 31st anniversary of the Islamic revolution in 1979; it is locked in dispute with the United States and other powers over its nuclear program; and its leaders are facing the worst political crisis since the revolution following last June’s flawed presidential elections...

Press TV said Wednesday that the Kavoshgar, or Explorer, missile was the third of its type to be launched space since February 2008, and was carrying an experimental capsule to transfer telemetric data, live pictures and other information to Earth. A second Kavoshgar was launched in November 2008, Press TV said. The model launched on Wednesday was described as an updated version of the earlier rockets.

The Iranian Aerospace Organization said: “Live video transmission and the mini-environmental lab will enable further studies on the biological capsule — carrying a rat, two turtles and worms — as it leaves Earth’s atmosphere and enters space,” Press TV said.