Publish Date: 31 January 2013 - 11:05

TEHRAN, Jan. 31 (MNA) – The news conference in Iranian Space Agency Headquarter had special guest yesterday, Aftab, the first monkey astronaut who spent 16 minutes in the atmosphere, and returned safely to earth.

The new guest with his naughty sense of humor and passion gave special esprit to the News conference.

This male monkey is only 3 years old and researcher in the Institute for Astronautical System named him Aftab, Persian for sun. He is the first animal astronaut in Iranian history which will open the space exploration for our scientists, and will be a giant step forward in sending man to space for Iranian Space Agency.

Dr. Mohammad Ebrahimi, the head of Institute for Astronautical Systemsof Iranian Space Agency referred to successful launch of Pishgam probe in his news conference and said; “this project was given to Supreme Council of Space, and based on that project we have planed the man mission to space in two stages.”

Based on the plans of this project Iran will send human in two stages to the atmosphere. He said;”he hopes to send the first man to atmosphere by 2020.

Ebrahimi, referring to comments by Victoria Nuland, Spokesperson for the US States Department, that; “the Pishgam probe launch has been against the UN resolutions,”said; “The UN resolution in the question referrers to sending heavy payloads to the space, which could have military implications, but Pishgam probe was not built for military objective, and its mission has no military value, and generally speaking you cannot block Iranian scientific progress by UN resolutions.”

He added; “the next step of Pishgam probe mission is to reach the 175Km into the space with a payload of 500 Kg.”

MH/EA
MNA
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