Iran to send Explorer 5 into space

Iran’s Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi said, “Kavoshgar 5, which is carrying a living creature, will be sent 120 kilometres (74.56 miles) into space by the end of August”.

“Adroit industrialists and researchers have built valuable products and submitted them to the armed forces,” he underlined.

“ Building rockets shows the power of self assurance and strong belief of Iranian scientists,” the high-profile military official said.

On June 20, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Iran had obtained the technology to develop different satellites and would soon launch giant satellites that will be placed into the orbit at an altitude of nearly 35,000 kilometers (21,748 miles).

In February, President Ahmadinejad unveiled Kavoshgar 4 and three other national satellites — Fajr (Dawn), Rasad (Observation), Amirkabir I, Zafar (Victory).