14 DAY TRIAL // Iran apparently tried to launch a rhesus monkey into space this September, but the mission was a failure. News outlets are now suggesting that the Iranian space program may have been stalled for a while, as the damage is being assessed.
Putting a live monkey in low-Earth orbit (LEO) would have represented a monumental step for the middle-Eastern nation, which is currently trying to get a very ambitious space program going for it.
According to what little information the Iranian press lets loose, the country plans to have a man flown to orbit no later than 2020. If that comes to pass, then a manned mission to the Moon is to be completed by 2025, Space reports.
A press release from AFP suggests that the Rhesus monkey which the Iranians wanted to send to space was placed inside a Kavoshgar-5 rocket, which was developed and built by the Iranian Space Agency (ISA). The word Kavoshgar is Farsi for “explorer.”
Though no one outside ISA knows exactly when the launch occurred, sources say that the attempt took place sometime between August 23 and September 2. Iranian officials who finally revealed the failed mission said that they did not come forth sooner because not all objectives were reached.
“The Kavoshgar-5 rocket carrying a capsule with a live animal (a monkey) was launched during Shahrivar. However, the launch was not publicized as all of its anticipated objectives were not accomplished,” said Mohammad Mehdinejad-Nouri, the Iranian Deputy Science Minister.
Interestingly enough, the ISA website contains no mention of the botched launch attempt. In all likelihood, officials are very disappointed about this failure. The country may now need to temper its space enthusiasm, and take things one step at a time.
“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, who is the Chief of ISA, as quoted by AFP.
The recent failure aside, Iran is making progress in space technology. Over the past few years, it managed to launch a couple of satellites to map Earth from orbital perches. One mission also took several living animals to LEO, enabling scientists to collect relevant data.
Several monkeys are currently being trained to withstand the harsh effects of launching into space. Over the coming years, the country will no doubt continue to pursue its space ambitions, analysts agree.