Iran to send animals into space

TEHRAN, December 2 (RIA Novosti) - Iran plans to send exploratory rockets into space with live animals on board, paving the way for manned space flights, a space research official said on Tuesday. Mohammad Ebrahimi, deputy head of Iran's Aerospace Research Institute, said Iran plans to send Kavoshgar (Explorer) 3 and 4 rockets into space in the near future. The Kavoshgar 2 was successfully launched on Wednesday. The rocket consisted of a carrier, space-lab and restoration system. Ebrahimi said the rocket analyzed air pressure and wind speed, and conducted astronomical tests at altitudes of 50 to 200 km. The Kavoshgar 2 is a two-stage solid fuel rocket capable of carrying a small payload and reentering the lower atmosphere with a high degree of accuracy. Iran insists that its space program has no military goals.