Iranian Communications and Information Technology Minister Reza Taqipour says Iran is on the right track in its plan to launch its first manned mission to space after completing the study phase, Press TV reported.
"The initial steps for the plan have been taken, and the study phase on the definition of subsystems, sub-projects, costs, and what projects need to be developed toward that end, has been conducted, which needs to be submitted to the Supreme Council on Space," the Mehr news agency quoted Taqipour as saying on Monday.
He added that the next steps of the plan will be accelerated once the supervising body approves the programs.
Taqipour noted that additional studies are underway at Iranian universities for the training programs of astronauts and other aspects of space travel.
According to Iranian officials, in 2009 the country's Aerospace Organization kicked off a 12-year project to send an astronaut into space by 2021.
In August, President Ahmadinejad said Iran had reviewed the space mission and decided to launch a manned shuttle into space by 2017.
Iran launched its first domestically-produced satellite, the Omid, in 2009.
Iran is one of the 24 founding members of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, which was set up in 1959.
To date, only eight countries have put domestically-made satellites into orbit.
'Iran manned space program on course'
Iranian Communications and Information Technology Minister Reza Taqipour says Iran is on the right track in its plan to launch its first manned mission to space after completing the study phase.
