Asia-Pacific

Iran plans to send astronauts to space by 2017

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-08-05 19:58

TEHRAN - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Thursday Iran will send the country's first astronauts to space in seven years' time, local satellite Press TV reported.

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"The plan is in line with an Iran space agency program to produce and place in orbit a spacecraft at an altitude of more than 35,000 km," the report quoted Ahmadinejad as saying on Thursday.

The country's growth and scientific breakthroughs in different areas are occurring despite the West's sanctions against the Islamic Republic, he made the remarks in western Iranian city of Hamedan.

In February, Iran launched the country's new satellite carrier into space with living organisms aboard.