Iran Plans To Launch Persian Cat Into Outer Space: Interstellar Kittehz...Literally.
Iran plans to send a Persian cat into outer space, they announced today.
Just in case there weren't enough kittehz in cyberspace, Iran plans to add to it by actually blasting a cat to outer space.
Thus far, Iran has sent a monkey, worms, a turtle, and a mouse into space. The use of animals is intended to bring them closer to launching a human into space, hopefully by 2018.
Basically, Iran seems to really, really blasting sending animals into space. However, some don't believe the recent monkey was legit-- photos seemed to show two different monkeys before and after the launch.
Senior space program official Mohammad Ebrahimi said that state media at the time mistakenly sent a photo of a different monkey that wasn't used in the February launch, cuasing the mix-up.
The launch of the space Persian kitteh will likely happen by the end of Iran's current year, which ends March 21st. Iran is also considering mouse or a rabbit. The launch will be in a liquid-filled rocket that will reach 120 kilometers (72 miles).
Some speculate that Iran is trying to become dominant in space; they are the regional leaders, with the exception of Israel. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad stated that he wanted to be Iran's first astronaut earlier this year Iran also plans to use sattelites to monitor natural disasters and expand expand military surveillance in and around Iran.
Westerners, of course, aren't happy about the shades of militarization this implies.
For now, however, there's only a very grumpy, disoriented cat to worry about.