Iran Launches Monkey Into Space

[2IDSGT]

http://www.space.com/19490-iran-launches-monkey-into-space-report.html

Iranian space officials announced Monday (Jan. 28) that they have successfully launched a live monkey into space, inching closer to the Islamic republic's goal of a manned mission, according to news reports.

The space capsule, called Pishgam, which means "pioneer" in Farsi, reportedly returned the monkey alive after a suborbital flight to space and back, according to Iranian news agencies.

I'd make a joke, but NASA may become a joke pretty soon for all the priority it's given.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljmEkWkT5Qc

 

[TaiidanTomcat]

Hooray Iran! Welcome to the 1960's!

 

[chuck4]

Hooray Iran! Welcome to the 1960's!

1940s. The first suborbital monkey flight was in 1949, I believe. Give them some credit. It is not everyday that an Islamic theorcracy can claim to have come within a century of modernity.

 

[Gridlock]

FOX headline:


Iran launches miniaturised weapons system in disguised ICBM test

 

[chuck4]

It appears the monkey flight was faked.

http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2013/02/01/iran_s_fake_monkey_mission_report_suggests_the_whole_thing_was_a_fake.html


But still give Iranians credit. Here is one Islamic theocracy that valued science enough to fake scientific accomplishment. That still puts them way ahead of some other Islamic regimes, which would use teen age girls wanting to go to schools for target practice.

 

[gwiz]

It appears the monkey flight was faked.

It appears they have released photos from both this flight and the earlier unsuccessful monkey flight in September 2011, hence the confusion. Some details here:
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=11734.msg1007858#msg1007858

 

[Archibald]

Ahmadinejad is a bad guy - he lobbied the Iranian scientists to have his twin brother fly first...