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Iran announced today that it has launched a research rocket into space. What makes this launch unusual is the passenger list. The rocket is carrying a mouse, two turtles, and about a dozen worms. The announcement of the Iranian launch came two days after President Obama made clear his intention to scrap NASA’s back-to-the-moon program. John Pike is Director of GlobalSecurity.org. That’s a defense information website based in Alexandria, Virginia.
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MARCO WERMAN: Iran announced today that it has launched a research rocket into space. What makes this launch unusual is the passenger list. The rocket is carrying a mouse, two turtles, and about a dozen worms. The announcement of the Iranian launch came two days after President Obama made clear his intention to scrap NASA’s Back to the Moon Program. John Pike is Director of Global Security dot org. That’s a defense information website based in Alexandria, Virginia. John, it’s been a tumultuous week for those who think about space travel. President Barrack Obama is asking off government support for U.S. manned space flights beyond earth’s orbit, and the Iranian’s are sending worms and a mouse into space. Is this what space travel has come to?
JOHN PIKE: Well, unfortunately in instances [PH] like this, yes. You know, I mean, when I was a kid it was all boldly go where no one has gone before, and we were going to have moon bases and all that other kind of stuff. And, you know, it just seems to be kind of petering out ending with a whimper, not a bang.
WERMAN: Let’s get back to this Iranian passenger manifest as it were. Why turtles, a mouse and worms?
PIKE: Well, I think because number one they actually do have a space program. Number two, these are the types of things that the Americans and Russians did early in their program and I think that the Iranians are just kind of going down the list and checking off. Everything that the Americans have done well, you know, we’re going to do it as well to show that Iran is a big country and can do everything the super powers do. And it achieved exactly what they wanted it to do. With us talking about it, their people noticed that Iran has rockets that can be used both for space flight and as weapons.
WERMAN: Are other nations, you know, picking up the ball that Washington seems to be dropping?
PIKE: Well, it’s hard to say, of course. Certainly when you look at some of the things they Chinese are doing, you always have to worry that we’re only going to find out about a Chinese mission to the moon after the thing has actually been launched.
WERMAN: What about the opening for increased international cooperation on space exploration? Do you see any sign of that being on the up swing?
PIKE: We’ve certainly seen a continuation of international cooperation on the international space station. Whether there are any new opportunities for extending that either adding more partners like China to the space station, or developing an international partnership for deep space flight. No one really seems to be talking about that right now.
WERMAN: So John, people have been on the moon. There’s talk of sending people to Mars maybe although fuel for return would be in short supply. Remind us, though, how far out there has deep travel exploration gone?
PIKE: Well, human space flight has gone to the moon about a quarter of a million miles away, robotic space missions, our flying beyond the orbit of Pluto, billions of miles away. Unfortunately, to get to the nearest star you’re going to have to have an awful lot of zeroes beyond that.
WERMAN: Right and the Hubble went how far?
PIKE: Well, the Hubble has remained in low earth orbit, but it has seen back to the dawn of the universe, which would 01214 billion light years away.
WERMAN: Right, and Voyager, that’s the one that went up past Pluto?
PIKE: That’s currently flying beyond Pluto several billion miles away from the earth.
WERMAN: Wow, that’s a long place to go to. So, John, final question. Apparently, according to press reports from Russia, Russia has no plans to go to the moon. So in your opinion the next man or woman to set foot on the foot where are they going to be from?
PIKE: Well, I hope that the next human being to land on the moon is going to be from planet Earth. I don’t think they’re going to be Russian. And it doesn’t look like they’re going to be American. Maybe they’ll be Chinese. Maybe it will be from a country that doesn’t exist right now.
WERMAN: Are you getting a sense that nobody is interested in going any more?
PIKE: Well, I just don’t have the sense that the moon has the political attraction that it did during the Cold War when there was a space race that was the exciting safe alternative to the Arms Race. Sending people to the moon is expensive, and in the absence of a clear political payoff it just isn’t going to happen. So I think that the footsteps and flags that the Americans put on the moon four decades ago I think they’re going to be lonely for quite some time to come.
WERMAN: John Pike, Director of Global Security dot org. Good of you to join us again. Thanks a lot.
PIKE: Thank you.
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Dear Marco,
Love your program – it’s diversity, cool content, and its easy going unpretentiousness (is that a word?). But, regarding the “Iran Launches Research Rocket” segment, it was stated that the universe is 12-14 billion light years old. However, I believe it is only 13.7 billion years old (not light years old). A big difference, or I am feeling very very young.
grg
It is great to see countries like Iran are advancing and breaking the monopoly of superpowers on space.
let’s celebrate the moment; and hope for more multilateralism, and less unilateralism.