Iran to launch a second monkey into space 'within a month' Earlier this year, Iran said it launched a monkey out of Earth's atmosphere In September, it suggested it may also launch Persian cats into space So far, the Soviet Union, the United States, France, China, Japan and Iran have sent animals into space Iran may be ready to send a monkey into space within a month, according to one of the country's national newspapers. A report on Sunday in the daily Jomhuri Eslami quotes the deputy head of Iran's space agency, Hamid Fazeli, as saying the planned launch is part of the country's plans to send a human to space in 2018. Mr Fazeli added that animals with a similar weight as monkeys are under consideration as future space test subjects. Iran may be ready to send another monkey into space within a month, according to one of the country's national newspapers. Earlier this year, Iran said it launched a monkey out of the Earth's atmosphere Six national space programs have so far flown animals into space: the Soviet Union, the United States, France, China, Japan and Iran. They were used as surrogates to test the suitability of the space environment for human habitation. Fruit flies were the first animals to be sent into orbit when they were put on board a U.S.-launched V-2 rocket on February 20, 1947. Two years later, Albert II, a Rhesus Monkey, became the first monkey to go into space. In November 1957 Russia sent Laika the dog into orbit aboard the Soviet Sputnik 2 spacecraft. Then, on January 31, 1961, Ham became the first chimpanzee launched into outer space as part of the NASA space programme. Earlier this year, Iran said it launched a monkey out of the Earth's atmosphere and successfully had it return - a claim dismissed by some as fake. So far, the Soviet Union, the United States, France, China, Japan and Iran have sent animals into space. Fruit flies were the first animals to be sent into space when they were put on board a U.S.-launched V-2 rocket on February 20, 1947. Iran has sent small animals into space - a rat, turtles and worms - in 2010. In September, Iran suggested it may also launch Persian cats into space The animal space race gathered pace in November 1957 when Russia sent Laika the dog into orbit. One of over a dozen chimpanzees trained by the U.S. to beat the Soviet Union's attempt to win the space race, Ham made history as the Cold War extended into orbit. As the Russians moved closer to sending a human into space, the Americans decided to use three-year-old Ham - in a style reminiscent of a gas-detecting canary in a mine - to find out whether humans would be able to survive in such conditions. In September, Iran suggested it may also launch Persian cats into space. The country has also sent small animals into space - including a rat, turtles and worms - aboard its Kavoshgar-3 rocket in 2010. On January 31, 1961, Ham became the first chimpanzee launched into outer space as part of the NASA space programme Three chimpanzees Duane, Jim, and Chu eat snacks while strapped in their model space capsules. The chimps were among 75 being trained for space missions at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico on Jan 13, 1961