Iran has launched a new satellite into space. It is called “Navid-e Elm-o Sanat” (“Forerunner of Science and Industry) and was launched at an altitude of 250-370 km, ITAR-TASS reports.
It is the third Iranian satellite. The first two are “Omid” (“Hope”) and “Rasad” (“Observation”), launched in February 2009 and June 2011 respectively.
Hamid Fazeli, head of the Iranian Space Agency, said that they plan to send biocapsules with a monkey in the near future. The launch was planned for October 2011 but was cancelled. Two more satellites are expected to be launched, “Tolu” (“Rise”) and “Mesbah” (“Torch”).
Two years ago, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad ordered the Space Agency to send a man in space by the end of the decade.
