Ahmadinejad ready to fly into space

[indian_foxhound]

Ahmadinejad ready to fly into space - The Times of India


MOSCOW: A week after Iran sent a monkey into
orbit, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said he is
ready to become the country's first astronaut, the
Mehr news agency reported Monday. "I am ready to become the first human to be sent
into space by Iranian scientists," Ahmadinejad
said on the sidelines of an exhibition of space
industry achievements in Tehran. Iran launched a monkey into space last week as
part of preparations for a manned space mission. The capsule with the monkey reportedly traveled
120 km into space and then returned to Earth
safely. "Sending living things into space is the result of
Iranian efforts and the dedication of thousands of
Iranian scientists," Ahmadinejad said. Iran launched its first domestically-produced
satellite Omid (Hope) in 2009, an endeavour that
made it the ninth country with the ability to
launch satellites. In 2010, Iran launched a Kavoshagar-3 rocket
that delivered a rat, two turtles and a worm into
space. Western powers suspect Iran of using its space
programme to develop ballistic missiles. Iran
denies the allegations.