Iran confirms plans to send monkeys into spaceJune 28, 2011 - 13:42 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Iran plans to send a new home-made 285-kilogram satellite carrier capable of carrying a biocapsule of live creatures, like monkeys, into the orbit late July, Fars semi-official news agency reported. Head of Iran Space Agency (ISA) Hamid Fazeli said the country plans to send a live monkey into space onboard the country's domestically-made Kavoshgar 5 (Explorer 5) satellite carrier. "Kavoshgar 5, with a weight of 285 kg, will blast off into space with a living creature (a monkey) in the next Iranian calendar month (that begins on July 23)," Fazeli said on Monday, June 27. He further explained that Kavoshgar 5 has a structural built similar to the Omid (Hope) satellite, Iran's first domestically-produced satellite which launched into orbit in 2009. The Omid data-processing satellite was designed to circle the Earth 15 times per day and to transmit data via two frequency bands and eight antennas to an Iranian space station. Fazeli also pointed out that five monkeys are currently undergoing experiments to get ready for the launch. The monkeys are taking exercises to "withstand physical and orbital pressure, acceleration, sound [boom], vibrations and other elements during the lift-off." Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Putin congratulates Pashinyan’s birthday Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on his birthday on June 1. Opposition motorcade en route to Gyumri for large rally A motorcade of protesters headed by Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan is heading to the city of Gyumri. Ruling MPs, Foreign Minister talk Armenia-Azerbaijan processes MOs from the ruling Civil Contract party met with the Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan in the Armenian parliament. Russia: Armenia’s frozen membership weakens CSTO position in Caucasus A Russian envoy said any step that could alienate the CSTO member states from each other is “deeply wrong”. |