HispanicBusiness

Iran sent a monkey into orbit and returned it back to earth, state media reported on Monday.

The locally designed capsule with the live monkey was launched by a Kavoshgar carrier-rocket into orbit and recovered safely back on the ground, Iranian state media quoted a statement by the country's aerospace organization as saying, without giving the timing of the launch.

Officials said it was prelude to the country sending humans into space, Press TV reported.

Iran launched its first satellite into orbit in February 2009. A year later it successfully tested a rocket that carried a mouse, a turtle and worms into space.

Last year, Iran launched the Rassad-1 (Observer) imaging satellite, which it said was also designed and constructed by Iranian experts.

Tehran has rejected Western charges that its space projects have military aims and accuses the West of trying to distort Iran's scientific achievements as aggression.