Iran to Send Astronaut to Space

Source: Alalam.ir, 21-8-2008
TEHRAN, Iran--Iranian space agency plans to send an astronaut to space within 10 years, the country's space official has said.
The state TV quoted Space Agency chief Reza Taghipoor as saying that the timing of the mission will be decided on over the next year. No other details were given.
Thursday's report is the second announcement from Iranian space officials in a week.
On Sunday, the Space Agency chief said Iran test-fired a rocket capable of carrying a satellite into orbit.
Taghipoor said the two-stage rocket released equipment that beamed flight data back to ground control.
In 2005, the Islamic Republic launched its first commercial satellite on a Russian rocket in a joint project with Moscow, which is the main partner in transferring space technology to Iran.
Iran first tested a rocket capable of delivering a satellite in February, saying that trial was also successful.
It said then that it planned two more test launches before attempting to put its first domestically built satellite into orbit.
The Islamic Republic of Iran says it wants to put its own satellites into orbit to monitor natural disasters in the earthquake-prone nation and improve its telecommunications.
Iran has long held the goal of developing a space program.