In February last year Iran sent several small animals into space — a rat, two turtles and worms — aboard a capsule carried by its Kavoshgar-3 rocket.
Iran then developed ambitious plans to launch a monkey into space. Apparently this attempt was made last month but it failed. The Telegraph reports:
Kavoshgar 3 launch in 2010 - image: http://militaryasia.blogspot.com
“The Kavoshgar-5 rocket carrying a capsule with a live animal (a monkey) was launched during Shahrivar,” an Iranian calendar month spanning August 23 to September 22, Deputy Science Minister Mohammad Mehdinejad-Nouri was quoted as saying by the ISNA news agency.
“However, the launch was not publicised as all of its anticipated objectives were not accomplished,” Mehdinejad-Nouri told reporters.
He said the launch of a live animal into space was “strategic, and a priority,” and expressed hope that future launches would attain more of the objectives set.
On October 3, Iran indefinitely postponed plans to send a live monkey into space, without giving any reasons.
“One cannot give a set date for this project and as soon as our nation’s scientists announce the readiness (of the project) it will be announced,” said Hamid Fazeli, head of Iran’s Space Organisation.
The k2p blog 