Iran claims to have sent monkey into space
Iran has claimed that it has successfully sent a monkey into space, boasting the launch as another step toward Tehran’s aspirations of a manned space flight.
As per reports, the rocket dubbed Pishgam (Farsi for ‘pioneer’), reached a height of 120 km. The monkey is learnt to have returned to earth safely.
The west is worried that Iran’s advancements in this technology from the space program could also be used to develop long-range missiles that could possibly be armed with nuclear warheads.
Iran aims to place its own satellites into orbit to monitor natural disasters in the earthquake-prone nation, improve telecommunications and expand military surveillance in the region. The country has a key satellite launch complex nearSemnan, about 200 km east of Tehran. It also has a satellite monitoring facility outside Mahdasht, about 70 km west of the Tehran.
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Month: Current Affairs - January, 2013
Category: Science & Technology Current Affairs