TEHRAN – Iran plans to send a live monkey into space aboard a rocket called Kavoshgar-5 (explorer-5) after the month of Ramadan, Iran Space Agency (ISA) Director Hamid Fazeli announced on Wednesday. Kavoshgar-5, with a weight of about 300 kg, contains a biological capsule in which a rhesus monkey will be placed.
Speaking to reporters, Fazeli also said that ISA plans to send the Fajr (Dawn) satellite into space within the coming few months.
The Fajr satellite is a reconnaissance satellite powered by solar energy.
Fazeli also said that Iran will send the satellite into space aboard the upgraded Safir one satellite carrier rocket.
The launch of the satellite into the orbit will be a technological step forward in IranÂ’s space industry.
Iran has already sent three satellites into space. On February 3, the country successfully launched its third domestically manufactured satellite, named the Navid (Promise), into orbit. The Safir one satellite carrier rocket was used to launch the Navid research satellite.