Iran Launches Rat and Worms into Space

Friday, February 05, 2010

While not exactly a Sputnik moment, Iran’s launching of a rocket into space this week nonetheless prompted similar worries for U.S. officials who shuddered at the Soviet entry into the space race back in the 1950s. With the launching of its 10-foot Kavoshgar-3 rocket, Washington fears the event signals Iran is getting closer to possessing intercontinental ballistic missiles that could carry nuclear weapons someday.

 
Iranian officials hailed the experiment, which involved sending a rat, two turtles and several worms briefly into space, before the rocket parachuted back to earth. The Iranian Students News Agency reported the test subjects returned safely, while President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad proclaimed the test showed his country could defeat the West in the battle of technology. Ahmadinejad also announced that Iran is developing a light booster rocket and three new satellites.
 
James Lewis, senior fellow at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the purpose of the launch was military and political in nature. “Worms in space serve no purpose,” Lewis told the Associated Press, adding that if the Iranians were interested in testing their life-support system, they would have sent up a monkey.
-Noel Brinkerhoff
 
Iran Sends Rocket with Animal Menagerie into Space (by Ali Akbar Dareini, Associated Press)
Iranian Research Rocket Carries Animals into Space (by Thomas Erdbrink, Washington Post)

Comments

kirk 15 years ago
that is quite possibly the most insane thing i have ever heared iran is the focus of evil in the world and they will be destroyed if they dont quit sooner or later its only a matter of when they have paid promoted terrorism all over the world this list is much to long to put here they are lucky that i am not president of the united states if you think that that third world country could ever stand up to the united states in a war you are a foolish person and they are playing a very dangerous game they could not even defeat saddam not only did the us do it they dropped two countries at once and lost fewer that we lost on avg per yr just in one of our cities you dont understand we lost 5-6 thousand in 5 yrs when we have been used to in past wars to loose 80000 in a month in jsut one battle iran would only be a speed bump to american forces but to kill you all is not the answer sooner or later a free and democratic iran will come forth only yhen shall you see her true glory
Billy Chowdhury 15 years ago
As the Iranian president predicted that his country could defeat the west in the battle of technology and it absolutely true and the reality is now surfacing day by day . Iran is a nation that will provide an unprecedented gift for the mankind but the discriminatory west how long control their jealousy and that is the main question . Because the west's intention is to destroy Muslim world and keep their superiority over technology but the approaching reality from Muslim's world's pride and beloved nation Iran is now clearly signaling the west that the era of destroying attitude towards mankind is now coming to end. And Iran is now ready to uplift the dignity of mankind for peace loving generation . Now it is matter of time. And, therefore, all peace loving peoples of the world is just waiting to see great Iran's sky touching success in all scientific field .

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