photo shows Iran's space program timeline[/caption]It was all smiles and cheers on Iran's National Day of Space Technology, celebrated this year on February 17, as the country unveiled a prototype of a spacecraft allegedly capable of taking a human to space.
Authorities say the trial test will be conducted this year bringing the country closer toits wildest dream ofsending a first astronaut where no Iranian has ever been before.
Sobhan Hassanvand?@Hassanvand
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#Iran to send human into space in 4 years, space agency chief says
2:36 PM - 30 Sep 2014
Tehran has recently announced that it will perform its first sub-orbital spaceflight by2016.
On February 2, the country successfully launched a Fajr (Dawn) satellite tospace using a Safir-2 rocket. Iran is dead set onproducing all the equipment required forspace exploration athome, often seen asone the country's major short-term goals. The news prompted the Fars news agency toclaim that ina few years' time we should "expect postcards and New Year greetings fromIranian astronauts inspace."However, the optimism might be premature. Many experts doubt Iran will master the technology and acquire the capabilities toachieve one ofits most ambitious goals no matter how many times it repeats that sky is not the limit or how many animals it launches intoorbit.
The world is yet tobe fully convinced that Tehran indeed successfully launched animals intospace. In 2013, the country claimed it sent two monkeys intospace and safely returned them tothe ground. Some doubts were raised asthe country published different photos ofthe animals beforeand afterthe flight. In 2010, Iran sent several small animals intospace, including a rat and a turtle.
Gareth Edwards@GarethEdwardsSA
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Can't make this stuff up...Iran has chosen a Persian cat as the best candidate for a manned space mission it hopes to make by 2020!
1:53 PM - 17 Sep 2013
Iran launched its first domestically-produced satellite in2009. The country plans tosend several more satellites intospace byMarch 2016. The main function ofthe spacecraft is totransmit images ofthe Earths surface toground stations.
Iran's space program has been subject tointernational concerns amidfears that it could be developing its rocket technology formilitary purposes, a charge which Tehran denies.
Last week, Iranian Minister ofCommunications and Information Technology Mahmoud Vaezi announced that Iran plans toexpand its space program. However, reports emerged that the country might have canceled the program inearly January.
how now@brownpau
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Wonder if Safir/Fajr launch means Iran space program still on, or just a last mission before wind-down? @warisboring https://medium.com/war-is-boring/iran-just-cancelled-its-space-program-5b1d5ce50bd6
6:42 PM - 2 Feb 2015
Iran Just Cancelled Its Space Program
ByWar Is Boring@warisboring
Yes, Iran had a space program
Medium@MediumBy Sputnik News
