Article Posted on : - Aug 22, 2008

TEHERAN (BNS): Iran claimed that is readying to send its astronaut into space within the next ten years.
The head of Iran Aerospace Organisation, Reza Taghipour said on Wednesday that his country had plans to send its first astronaut into space within the next 10 years.
Till now just three nations Russia, US and China, are capable of launching humans into space.
RIA Novosti quoted Taghipour, saying that Iran was currently exploring the possibility of sending a human into outer space. “This is one of the country's priorities for the next 10 years," he said.
The exact date of the flight would be determined by the end of the year, the Iran aerospace chief said. Taghipour said that as per the plan they had developed, by 2021 Iran would become a leading space power in the region. Earlier, Taghipour had said that the country had developed its missile and space technology on its own without any assistance from anyone.
Meanwhile, by 2010, Iran plans to send into orbit several domestic satellites, an announcement to this effect was made on Monday.
In another local report that appeared on Sunday, it was stated that an Iranian carrier rocket, Safir, had successfully orbited the country's first domestically-built satellite, Omid (Hope). The satellite is expected to help natural disaster management programmes and improve telecommunications.