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'''Pishgam''' ({{langx|fa|پیشگام}}, "pioneer") is an Iranian 300-kilogramme<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.b14643.de/Spacerockets_1/Diverse/Kavoshgar-5/index.htm |title=Iran's Sounding Rockets "Kavoshgar-5" |access-date=2013-12-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131217020625/http://www.b14643.de/Spacerockets_1/Diverse/Kavoshgar-5/index.htm |archive-date=2013-12-17 |url-status=dead }}</ref> space capsule and associated rocket ({{lang|fa|کاوشگر پیشگام}} '''Kavoshgar-Pishgam''' "Explorer-Pioneer"), which launched containing [[rhesus monkey]] and is part of a series of Iranian rocket launches containing [[animals in space|biological cargo]] intended as precursors to [[human spaceflight]].
==Kavoshgar programme==
The sounding rocket plus return capsule combination are capable of undertaking a twenty-minute flight and reach a height of 120&nbsp;km.<ref name=tele/> This is a sub-orbital flight  not similar to the [[Safir (rocket)|Safir rocket]] which launched [[Omid]], a domestically-built data-processing satellite into low Earth orbit.<ref name=iranspace/>
The objective is to prepare for crewed space flight after 2020,<ref name=tele/> by sending monkeys into space. The Iranian Space Agency said before the first launch that they had five adolescent rhesus monkeys from South East Asia. The monkey's health is checked before launch and the launch is intended to demonstrate that the life support systems work and that the monkey will land in good health.<ref name=iranspace/>
===Kavoshgar-3===
On February 3, 2010, ISA launched a [[Kavoshgar-3]] (Explorer-3) rocket with one rodent, two turtles, and several worms into sub-orbital space and returned them to Earth alive.<ref name=zarya2/><ref name=zee/><ref name=fars/><ref name=ns/> The rocket was enabled to transfer electronic data and live footage back to Earth. The [[Aerospace Research Institute]] (ARI) showed live video transmission of mini-environmental lab to enable further studies on the biological capsule.<ref name="Iran Fires Satellite Carrier Into Space">{{cite news|url=http://www.payvand.com/news/10/feb/1026.html|title=Iran Fires Satellite Carrier Into Space|date=2010-02-02|publisher=www.payvand.com|accessdate=5 February 2010|archive-date=2010-02-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100208185122/http://www.payvand.com/news/10/feb/1026.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> This was the first [[animals in space|biological]] [[Payload (air and space craft)|payload]] launched by Iran.<ref name=mcuk20100204>
{{cite web|url=http://www.metro.co.uk/news/world/811677-animals-are-fired-into-space-in-iranian-rocket |title=Animals are fired into space in Iranian rocket |publisher=Metro.co.uk |date=February 4, 2010}}</ref>
===Kavoshgar-4===
On March 15, 2011, the ISA launched the [[Kavoshgar-4]] (Explorer-4) rocket carrying a test capsule designed to carry a monkey but without living creatures on board. The [[sub-orbital flight]] reached an apogee of {{convert|135|km}} and landed {{convert|130|km}} from the launch site. It contained the equipment to house the monkey, without an actual monkey.
===Kavoshgar-5===
[[Kavoshgar-5]] (Explorer-5), carrying a live monkey, was launched for a 20-minute sub-orbital flight in September 2011,<ref name=mcdowell/> however the mission failed. The capsule contained a rhesus monkey.<ref name=space.com/> On October 3, Iran indefinitely postponed further plans while scientists reviewed readiness for future missions.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/272624/irans-monkey-does-not-make-it-to-space/ |title=Iran's monkey does not make it to space |agency=AFP |newspaper=The Express Tribune |date=12 October 2011 |accessdate=20 March 2012}}</ref>
===Kavoshgar-6===
In May 2012, Iran announced that it would send more living creatures into space by the summer.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=9102110289 |title=Iran to Send Living Creatures into Space by Mid Summer |accessdate=2012-05-04 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120503105702/http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=9102110289 |archivedate=2012-05-03 }}</ref>
On 1 August 2012 [[Hamid Fazeli]] from the [[Iranian Space Agency]] announced that the monkey would be launched after [[Ramadan]], which ended on 19 August 2012.<ref name=fars/><ref name=ns/><ref name=irib/><ref name=tt/><ref name=bbc/> There were no subsequent announcements until December 2012 when it was said that the launch would be soon.<ref name="iranproject"/><ref name=zarya/>
On 28 January 2013 Iran claimed that they had launched a monkey, [[Fargam]], into space.<ref name="aljazeera"/> ISNA officials then did not comment on the flight until 31 January, when ISNA published a video of the Pishgam Launch, with an internal camera.<ref name="ISNA_video"/> However, it was noted that the monkey shown in the video had a prominent mole over its left eye, which the monkey in the initial announcement did not. Investigations revealed that for some reason ISNA showed legitimate footage of the rocket's exterior, but recycled footage from the failed 2011 launch where the monkey died. This is particularly unusual as Iran has denied the failed 2011 launch even happened and have denied any monkey either dying or being launched earlier. ISNA spokesmen Mohammad Ebrahimi stated on 4 February that the team assembling the media for the video simply mixed up the footage of a backup monkey and the prime monkey.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Williams |first1=Rob |title=The mystery of the Iran space monkey is solved - the pictures showed the wrong animal, say Iranian officials |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/the-mystery-of-the-iran-space-monkey-is-solved-the-pictures-showed-the-wrong-animal-say-iranian-officials-8479403.html |website=[[The Independent]] |access-date=14 February 2024}}</ref>
===Kavoshgar-7===
ISNA announced on 10 December, 2013, that they would be launching a [[Kavoshgar-7]] mission from Imam Khomeini Space Centre some time in the next week.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Niayesh |first1=Umid |title=Iran to launch Kavoshgar-7 carrier into space |url=https://en.trend.az/iran/2220102.html |website=[[Trend News Agency]] |access-date=14 February 2024}}</ref>
==See also==
*[[Monkeys and apes in space]]
*[[Animals in space]]
*[[Iranian crewed spacecraft|Iranian Crewed Spacecraft]]
==References==
{{reflist|colwidth=33em|refs=
<ref name=irib>{{cite web |url=http://english.irib.ir/news/science-a-technology/item/96179-%E2%80%98iran-to-launch-%E2%80%9Ckavoshgar-5%E2%80%9D-satellite-carrier-into-space-in-near-future%E2%80%99 |title='Iran to launch "kavoshgar-5" satellite carrier into space in near future' |date=1 August 2012 |publisher=Iran English Radio |accessdate=7 September 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120919075949/http://english.irib.ir/news/science-a-technology/item/96179-%E2%80%98iran-to-launch-%E2%80%9Ckavoshgar-5%E2%80%9D-satellite-carrier-into-space-in-near-future%E2%80%99 |archivedate=19 September 2012 }}</ref>
<ref name=fars>{{cite web |url=http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=9104252337 |title=Iran to Send More Living Creatures into Space Soon |date=1 August 2012 |publisher=Fars News Agency |accessdate=7 September 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120826011759/http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=9104252337 |archivedate=26 August 2012 }}</ref>
<ref name=tt>{{cite web |url=http://www.tehrantimes.com/politics/100196-iran-to-send-monkey-into-space-after-month-of-ramadan |title=Iran to send monkey into space after month of Ramadan |date=1 August 2012 |publisher=Tehran Times |accessdate=7 September 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120805055202/http://www.tehrantimes.com/politics/100196-iran-to-send-monkey-into-space-after-month-of-ramadan |archivedate=5 August 2012 }}</ref>
<ref name=zee>{{cite web |url=http://zeenews.india.com/news/space/iran-failed-with-space-monkey-launch-report_741359.html |title=Iran failed with space monkey launch: Report   |author= |date=12 November 2011 |publisher=Zee News |accessdate=7 September 2012}}</ref>
<ref name=zarya>{{cite web|url=http://www.zarya.info/Calendar.php|title=Go For Launch!|publisher=Zarya.info|accessdate=28 January 2013|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130203192246/http://www.zarya.info/Calendar.php|archivedate=3 February 2013}}</ref>
<ref name=zarya2>{{cite web |url=http://www.zarya.info/Diaries/2011.php |title=Space Events - 2011 |publisher=Zarya.info |accessdate=7 September 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019065644/http://www.zarya.info/Diaries/2011.php |archivedate=19 October 2012 }}</ref>
<ref name=tele>{{cite web |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/space/8822745/Iran-fails-with-space-monkey-launch.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111013134742/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/space/8822745/Iran-fails-with-space-monkey-launch.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=13 October 2011|title=Iran fails with space monkey launch |author= | date=12 October 2011|publisher=Daily Telegraph|accessdate=7 September 2012}}</ref>
<ref name=ns>{{cite web |url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn22136-iran-space-agency-to-launch-a-monkey-into-space.html|title=Iran Space Agency to launch a monkey into space  |author=Nicola Guttridge | date=3 August 2012|publisher=New Scientist|accessdate=7 September 2012}}</ref>
<ref name=bbc>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/tools/calendar/faith.shtml?muslim|title=Muslim calendar for 2012|publisher=BBC|accessdate=7 September 2012|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120905153926/http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/tools/calendar/faith.shtml?muslim|archivedate=5 September 2012}}</ref>
<ref name=iranspace>{{cite web|url=http://www.isa.ir/components1.php?rQV==wHQyAkOklUZnFWdn5WYMJXZ0VWbhJXYw9lZ8BkMwUDQ6QWStVGdp9lZ8BUM4ATMApDZJ52bpR3Yh9lZ|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130218084157/http://www.isa.ir/components1.php?rQV==wHQyAkOklUZnFWdn5WYMJXZ0VWbhJXYw9lZ8BkMwUDQ6QWStVGdp9lZ8BUM4ATMApDZJ52bpR3Yh9lZ|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 February 2013|title=Iran to launch Kavoshgar-5 carrying living creature in Mordad/July 22-August 22|date=28 June 2011|publisher=Iranian Space Agency|accessdate=7 September 2012}}</ref>
<ref name=space.com>{{cite web|url=http://www.space.com/13270-iran-space-monkey-launch-failure.html|title=Report: Iran Attempt to Launch Monkey Into Space Fails|date=12 October 2011|work=Space.com|accessdate=8 September 2012}}</ref>
<ref name=mcdowell>{{cite web|url=http://www.planet4589.org/space/lvdb/launch/Kavoshgar|title=Kavoshgar|work=Jonathan's Space Page|author=Jonathan McDowell|accessdate=9 September 2012}}</ref>
<ref name="aljazeera">{{cite web|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2013/01/201312811561227417.html|title=Iran says monkey sent to space|work=[[Al Jazeera English|Al Jazeera]]|date=28 January 2013|accessdate=28 January 2013}}</ref>
<ref name="iranproject">{{cite web|url=http://theiranproject.com/blog/2012/12/17/iran-to-send-living-creature-into-space-official/|title=Iran sends living creature into space |work=Iran Project|date=28 January 2013|accessdate=28 January 2013}}</ref><!--no idea who funds this-->
<ref name="ISNA_video">{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pv9_m1nDuo|title=Full video of Pishgam launch to return|work=Iran Project|date=31 January 2013|accessdate=31 January 2013}}</ref><!--ISNA-->
}}
{{Iranian space program}}
[[Category:Space program of Iran]]
[[Category:Solid-fuel rockets]]