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Iran Says It Sent Monkey Into Space and Back

Posted by samzenpus on from the space-monkey dept.

Iranian state TV is claiming that the country has successfully sent a monkey into space and back, bringing Iran one step closer to its goal of a manned space flight. According to the report, the rocket named Pishgam, or Pioneer in Farsi, reached a height of 120km. From the article: "Iran has long said it seeks to send an astronaut into space as part of its ambitious aerospace program, including plans for a new space center announced last year. In 2010, Iran said it launched an Explorer rocket into space carrying a mouse, a turtle and worms."

40 of 425 comments (clear)

  1. Was it President Ahmadinejad? by peter303 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Sometimes his policy explanations are as believable as a monkey's.

    1. Re:Was it President Ahmadinejad? by Dave+Emami · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Actually, Ahmadinejad usually is depicted as a monkey in the expatriate Iranian press, and (so I hear from relatives there) commonly referred to as such in Iran by a lot of folks. There was even an incident a few years ago where a girl on a kid's TV show innocently mentioned that her dad had nicknamed her toy monkey after the guy. Part of it is due to perceived physical resemblance, and part due to the belief that he doesn't actually wield independent power but is just Supreme Leader Khamenei's "trained pet."

      --

      "The Greens lynched a hacker in Chicago. Last month, but I think the body's still hanging from the old Water Tower."
  2. and apparently... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Ahmadinejad made it all the way back safely

    1. Re:and apparently... by slashmydots · · Score: 5, Funny

      That, sir, is offensive to monkeys.

    2. Re:and apparently... by Herr+Brush · · Score: 3, Insightful

      That's not really the point. The point is that they are demonized beyond what the facts can support. Take a recent world leader for example. He kicked off two (arguably) illegal wars leading to the death of hundreds of thousands of civilians, took his country several steps back in terms of rights and freedoms and claimed his policy was guided by god. Surely this is a worse record than Ahmadinejad's but his reputation seems to have settled more on charismatic fool than evil psycho.

  3. From a US citizen by funky49 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Congrats Iran!

    --
    --- rapper/producer/bachelorette party stripper
    1. Re:From a US citizen by binarylarry · · Score: 3, Funny

      As an American, let me be the first to welcome Iran to 1948!

      --
      Mod me down, my New Earth Global Warmingist friends!
    2. Re:From a US citizen by Runaway1956 · · Score: 3, Informative

      No thing is bad. Doesn't matter how ugly you think an item is, it is inanimate. Inanimate objects are neither good, nor bad. Without motivation and free will, there is no good, no bad. People are bad, and people are good.

      --
      "Windows is like the faint smell of piss in a subway: it's there, and there's nothing you can do about it." - Charlie Br
    3. Re:From a US citizen by jbeaupre · · Score: 3, Funny

      I guess you never saw Time Bandits.

      --
      The world is made by those who show up for the job.
    4. Re:From a US citizen by funky49 · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Thank you AC for pointing out the obvious. Since Iran and North Korea share missile technology, you can assume what one can do, the other can do. This Slashdot story was different. There was a directive to keep an animal alive. This knowledge and ability to keep that monkey safe for the trip gives me hope. I'm not going to apologize for focusing on the positives. Eat shit, coward.

      --
      --- rapper/producer/bachelorette party stripper
    5. Re:From a US citizen by wmac1 · · Score: 3, Informative

      Only 6 countries have that capability. No matter how much you troll.

  4. What ? What ? What ? by TractorBarry · · Score: 3, Funny

    Firing defenceless animals off into space for their twisted pleasure ?

    BOMB THE BASTARDS.

    --
    Sky subscribers are morons. They pay to be advertised at !
  5. Stone age society develops space age technology by Rogerborg · · Score: 4, Funny

    Sounds like some sort of Flintstones / Jetsons crossover.

    --
    If you were blocking sigs, you wouldn't have to read this.
    1. Re:Stone age society develops space age technology by agoliveira · · Score: 3, Informative

      Depends on what you call "stone age society". They indeed have a lot to grow regarding individual freedom and rights (but, hey, so does USA currently) but they have lots of money, a great schools and universities, weath is well distributed and very low crime rate.

      --
      Scientia est Potentia
    2. Re:Stone age society develops space age technology by ag0ny · · Score: 3, Insightful

      As for great schools, perhaps they are, as long as you exclude science, philosophy, art, history, perhaps geography. Since they're state run (and the state bends the curriculum as they see fit), they are chock full of religion (which takes over the science, philosophy, and art departments) and since their government expresses blind hatred against other countries, I can only assume history and geography classes are equally skewed.

      And that's different from the U.S. how?

      --
      My site
    3. Re:Stone age society develops space age technology by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Have you been in Iran before? go there and come back and then we can discuss your arguments, if your arguments are based on few videos you could be pretty wrong, however I accept any country/society has his own issues , in case that you fear to go there, I was there a month ago and met an blogger from new york http://www.humansofnewyork.com/tagged/iran

      to give you a clue about the quality of universities in iran, most of them are free,many like babak parviz studied and graduated from there, in case that you don't know him visit http://www.wearable-technologies.com/262 http://iipdigital.usembassy.gov/st/english/texttrans/2009/01/20090115111056xjsnommis0.6168634.html#axzz2JHsyl8PX

      or just walk in to any american university and ask how many of their Master and PhD students are iranian ;)

    4. Re:Stone age society develops space age technology by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Unlike Iran, the USA could have rewritten some history books for the entire world, but all the information is freely available to anyone, regardless of gender or religion.

      Also, in the USA, if you don't like the curriculum, you can homeschool your children, you can attend online course and there are literally thousands of colleges you can go to. No, let me go further than that, if you're from the USA, you have access to any and all democratic countries in the entire world.

      If you really can't see the difference, I propose this simple experiment. Choose a subject you want to learn about. Find the most comprehensive courses available, then start slashing out anything that might be considered harmful to Iran or it's religion. When that's done, then remove all bits that don't make any sense. Next and final step, create ties that replace the removed pieces, that are showing Iran and it's religion in a positive light, and possibly anybody else (especially the USA) in a bad one. Then, write it as a book, and publish it as fantasy fiction, because no sane person in a free world would believe it to be true.

      I'm not an American, I don't particularly care for them, but dismissing the entire nation and culture is wrong, narrowsighted, and possibly as dangerous as Iran and it's whole way of thinking.

    5. Re:Stone age society develops space age technology by ScentCone · · Score: 4, Insightful

      And that's different from the U.S. how?

      You mean other than the fact that you don't run the risk of having the religious police give you trouble over your beard length, that you don't get locked up in prison for being insufficiently Muslim? That you can still say the word "pizza," which has been banned in that country for being too western? That little details like being sent to prison or even killed for having been raped tend to stand out? Or charming features of Iran's foreign policy such as backing the annihilation of a specific country on religious grounds, or the steady support of some of the worst medieval-minded terrorist groups in the world because they are such?

      Never mind your completely spurious and disingenuous comparison of the school systems, or the fact that you just sitting here talking about it openly would - there - put in at risk of death in prison.

      Woops! Here I am feeding a troll. Never mind.

      --
      Don't disappoint your bird dog. Go to the range.
    6. Re:Stone age society develops space age technology by Runaway1956 · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Please, you're undermining years of propaganda there. Carefully crafted stereotypes, smashed to the ground! Please, don't destroy our egocentric arrogance like that! It is absolutely necessary that American believe that Iranians live in caves, eat raw meat (when meat is available), and that they have pedal cars on their cobblestone roads.

      Next, you'll actually expect us to believe that Iranians are LITERATE!

      --
      "Windows is like the faint smell of piss in a subway: it's there, and there's nothing you can do about it." - Charlie Br
  6. They risked a valuable Monkey? by Bocaj · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'm surprised they didn't start with some something more disposable, like a woman. I'm sorry, but it just shocks me that a society can make this kind of technological achievement and still treat some humans as second class citizens.

    1. Re:They risked a valuable Monkey? by pr0t0 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      You mean like when the United States sent Alan Shepard into space in 1961, but didn't pass the civil rights act until 1964? And it's not like the CRA ended racial discrimination.

      --
      I'm sorry, but your opinion seems to be wrong.
    2. Re:They risked a valuable Monkey? by cellocgw · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Despite all that's wrong with Iran, they have a very decent education system - that is even accessible for women, as I was told.

      I'm no expert on the current state of education in Iran, but I can tell you with certainty that one of our allies, rhymes with "howdy arabia," is far worse than Iran when it comes to religious freedom, women's rights, and government funding of Islamic terrorist groups. Never make the mistake of rating countries on the basis of the USA's "friend or foe" list.

      --
      https://app.box.com/WitthoftResume Code: https://github.com/cellocgw
    3. Re:They risked a valuable Monkey? by ceoyoyo · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Let's see... the first unmanned suborbital space flight was a V2 launched by Germany in 1944. Germany at that time is sort of famous for having different classes of people, the treatment of some making Americans' worst imaginings about Iran look like playland.

      The US first launched something into space in 1949. That's twenty years before Mad Men is set, six years before Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on the bus, and 54 years before Lawrence v. Texas made the remaining anti-sodomy laws in the US unconstitutional.

      It seems a country's position on equality of its citizens has very little to do with its success in space flight.

    4. Re:They risked a valuable Monkey? by wmac1 · · Score: 3, Interesting

      You don't know what you are speaking about. Iranian women have a 60% share of universities (i.e. 2.5 million seats) and they are possibly more educated than (percentage wise) most other countries.

      At least 50% of almost 10 million university graduates are women.

  7. Its probably not true by Chrisq · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Its probably just to cover the news that their nuclear weapon research bunker was blown up.Don't look here, watch the monkey!

    1. Re:Its probably not true by Jeng · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Oddly enough the story you are linking to says that that story may also be a fake.

      Perhaps the Iranians just feel really insecure and want to make people believe they are more of a threat than they are?

      --
      Don't know something? Look it up. Still don't know? Then ask.
  8. Re:'Into space' by kj_in_ottawa · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Correct, an orbit is a lot harder than just achieving an altitude.

    I do however, disagree with you about the conclusion you are trying to prove with your analogy.

    If you have never built any sort of a vehicle before, evolving from the toy stage through many many many steps to a formula 1 car may actually be a logical process, and therefore is relevant.

    Likewise, a progression from earthbound to an orbiting space station and beyond, may include a developmental step of placing a monkey in a missile.

    Cheers
    Kenny

  9. Re:Pigs in space! by filthpickle · · Score: 4, Interesting

    While I am sure the parent was kidding...I have a friend who is only moderately stupid that firmly believes that the moon landings were faked. I found this a couple weeks ago, an interesting point of view.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGXTF6bs1IU

    We would have faked it...but actually doing it was easier at the time.

  10. WHAT do THEY WANT?!! by Thud457 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Super-intelligent monkey manipulates another nation-state into providing it with a free joyride into space.

    --

    the preceding comment is my own and in no way reflects the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

  11. I guess the propaganda is working. by trout007 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    From all of these anti-Iranian comments I guess the US propaganda is working well. Pretty soon you all we clamor for war and sign up to fight. It's amazing how people can hate those they never met.

    --
    I love Jesus, except for his foreign policy.
    1. Re:I guess the propaganda is working. by medcalf · · Score: 4, Insightful

      You might be misunderstanding. Persians and Americans are actually natural allies: we both want a stable Persian Gulf region, and together could provide it, as we did prior to 1979. But the Ayatollahs running Iran at the moment, since 1979, want an unstable Persian Gulf region, because that gives them openings to advance their religious interests. So even though there is a natural underlying affinity on a national level, on a political level there can be only conflict. The hostage crisis, where Iranian thugs took captive American embassy staff for well over a year, has not been forgotten in the US, and it colors our perceptions of Iran, and specifically of their leadership, to this day. On top of that, you have the Iranians committing acts of war against the US in Iraq (not only supplying and training our enemies, but planning and sometimes participating directly in attacks) and in Saudi Arabia (Khobar Towers), as well as apparently developing a nuclear weapons program aimed directly at destroying a key US ally, Israel, and really, after all of that, does there need to be "propaganda" to explain why American attitudes towards the Iranian government are what they are?

      All that said, yes, I generally despise theocrats I've never met, autocrats I've never met, dictators I've never met, and monarchs (other than titular only) that I've never met. I despise the enemies of human liberty generally. Is that really very amazing? And do you not also despise the enemies of liberty? Yet, why does that mean that I, or anyone else, is clamoring for war? It is possible to despise an ideology, and to attempt strenuously to oppose and in all ways limit that ideology, without clamoring for war. War is only necessary when irreconcilable differences over non-trivial differences exist. But just because we might not want war, does not mean we must start accepting those who would kill us if only they could.

      --
      -- Two men say they're Jesus. One of them must be wrong. - Dire Straits
    2. Re:I guess the propaganda is working. by klapaucjusz · · Score: 5, Informative

      You might be misunderstanding. Persians and Americans are actually natural allies: we both want a stable Persian Gulf region, and together could provide it, as we did prior to 1979.

      You are aware that the CIA put the Iranian dictator into power in 1953, toppling Iran's democratically-elected government in the process? The 1979 "Islamic Revolution" merely replaced a dictatorship controlled by the USA with one that wasn't.

    3. Re:I guess the propaganda is working. by Comrade+Ogilvy · · Score: 4, Informative

      On top of that, you have the Iranians committing acts of war against the US in Iraq (not only supplying and training our enemies, but planning and sometimes participating directly in attacks) and in Saudi Arabia (Khobar Towers), as well as apparently developing a nuclear weapons program aimed directly at destroying a key US ally, Israel, and really, after all of that, does there need to be "propaganda" to explain why American attitudes towards the Iranian government are what they are?

      Secretary of Defense William Perry (at the time), the FBI, and Saudi Minister of the Interior Prince Nayef disagree with you about Khobar. The indictment in the US district court looks like a long list of Saudi citizens, and but a few others.

      As for "acts of war" in Iraq, the US plays the same game all the time, including the selling weapons to Iranian enemies, e.g. Saddam Hussein during the Iran-Iraq War. This kind of turnaround is only fair play.

      You are clearly demonstrating the power American propaganda has over minds who should know better. It is very "interesting" how selective your memory happens to be.

    4. Re:I guess the propaganda is working. by metlin · · Score: 3, Interesting

      That's far from the complete truth. The unsaid fact is that Mosaddegh was trying to nationalize British and American owned oil operations, which was what prompted our actions.

      Ironically, Shah was a very modernizing influence in terms of rights for women and minorities. Yes, the man was batshit crazy, but he was aimed to create a secular state. Unfortunately, when the people revolted against him, Khomenei and his Islamic fundamentalist ilk essentially stole the revolution from the left liberals and established a theocracy in its place.

      Much like what's happening in Egypt today, where the Islamists have taken over a revolution from the left liberals.

      So, blaming the US for part of it is fair, but this is a classic example of unintended consequences.

  12. Re:What ? What ? What ? by Reverand+Dave · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Well, to be fair, this is Iran. I mean look at the typical Islamist regime and their claims of "The Religion of Peace" while chopping off hands.

    --
    I got here through a series of tubes
  13. Re:Pigs in space! by Runaway1956 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Moderately stupid. I need to remember that one, it could be precious one day. "You Sir, are only moderately stupid! Why can't you see reason?"

    --
    "Windows is like the faint smell of piss in a subway: it's there, and there's nothing you can do about it." - Charlie Br
  14. Re:Pigs in space! by bhartman34 · · Score: 3, Informative

    I have a friend who is only moderately stupid that firmly believes that the moon landings were faked.

    I would submit to you that if your friend firmly believes that the moon landings were faked, he's far more than moderately stupid. With all the evidence, believing the moon landing was faked is right up there with believing that the moon is made of gouda cheese. There's a reflector on the moon. If you know the coordinates, you can actually bounce a laser off of it back to Earth.

  15. Ahh yes, that's right by Sycraft-fu · · Score: 4, Insightful

    If a western nation ever did anything bad, at any point in their history, that is remotely like something a non-western nation is doing today, well then the non-western nation gets a total pass. You can't criticize them because at one time something bad happened somewhere else!

    This false moral equivalency bullshit is just retarded. Every country has done bad shit in the past. Every country does bad shit now. That doesn't mean that we cannot, or should not, point out when it happens. This idea that every country that isn't the US, or at least every country that isn't western gets an automatic pass on everything they do because of bad shit that happen sin other places is beyond stupid and counter productive.

  16. Re:Pigs in space! by bhartman34 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    When I said "you", I should've said "astronomers". This is an experiment that has been done at many observatories, all over the world. It's easily falsifiable by any sufficiently sophisticated nation, and I can think of at least one that would've loved to have called "Bullshit!" on a moon landing, if it never happened.

  17. Re:Pigs in space! by wmac1 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Iran has had 3 successful confirmed satellite launches. This one is a smaller rocket and it has failed once before. When the last launch failed Iranian head of IASA confirmed the failure.