Iran launched its first domestically-produced satellite, Omid (Hope), via Safir (Ambassador) carrier (shown) into orbit in 2009. Head of Iran’s Space Agency (ISA) Hamid Fazeli says the country plans to send a living organism into space on board the Pishgam (Pioneer) satellite carrier in the near future. “Iran’s Space Agency (ISA) is fully prepared to send the Pishgam satellite carrier bearing... 

Iran's domestically-built Kavoshgar 4 (Explorer 4) satellite carrier. Iran plans to launch another domestically-built satellite carrier, Kavoshgar 5, into space by the end of summer, the head of the Iranian Space Agency (ISA) says. “Kavoshgar (Explorer)’s cargo, with a weight of 300 kg, contains a biological capsule in which a rhesus monkey will be placed,” Hamid Fazeli said on Monday. Fazeli... 

Kavoshgar 4 (Explorer 4) satellite carrier. Head of Iran Space Agency (ISA) Hamid Fazeli says 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),” IRNA...