President Rouhani cheers return of Iran鈥檚 second monkey-astronaut
Rocketing a second monkey into space takes Iran a step closer to its goal of sending people into space within five to eight years.
Rocketing a second monkey into space takes Iran a step closer to its goal of sending people into space within five to eight years.
Iran鈥檚 President Hassan Rouhani has a lot on his plate these days, not least of all the world鈥檚 focus on Iran鈥檚 nuclear program.
But he still managed to find time to tweet not once but three times about Iran鈥檚 successful second launch of a monkey into space. After noting that the monkey had returned "safe and sound," he tweeted:
International media noted reports of the monkey launch with both skepticism and concern, as some doubt the veracity of Iran鈥檚 purported technological feats and others worry that the space program may be used as cover for developing long-range missiles.
The second monkey launch 鈥� which used liquid fuel, allowing for a slower, safer journey 鈥� was impossible to independently verify, and state media did not make clear when the event took place. Official photos of the first alleged monkey astronaut in January 2013, which traveled in a faster rocket powered by solid fuel, featured two different monkeys, raising questions about whether the primate had died in space. Iranian officials admitted the mistake, the Associated Press reported at the time.
The male rhesus macaque monkey used in the most recent launch weighed 3 kilograms (6.6 pounds). Iran鈥檚 state news agency said the next launch will feature a larger animal, with the eventual goal of being able to send people into space within five to eight years.
"The launch of [the rocket] Pajohesh is another long step getting the Islamic Republic of Iran closer to sending a man into space," the official IRNA news agency said.
Western officials have raised concerns that such a program could enable Iran to develop long-range missile capabilities. Experts interviewed by the New York Times at the time of the first launch said it didn鈥檛 represent 鈥渁ny militarily significant technology鈥� 鈥� yet.
If President Rouhani has anything to say about it, more animals should follow soon, a post on his website suggests. 鈥淭he president also congratulated the supreme leader of the Islamic revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the Iranian nation on the significant achievement. He wished further success for the Iranian experts."