National Space Research and Development Agency

The National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) is the national space agency of Nigeria. It is a part of the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology and it is overseen by the National Council on Space Science Technology.

History

NASRDA was established in 1998 by the Nigerian government with a primary objective of establishing a "fundamental policy for the development of space science and technology" with an initial budget of $93 million.

Scope

The initial scope of the Nigerian Space Programme (NSP) to be implemented by the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) should include:

The study of basic space science in order to lay the foundation for deriving maximum benefits from the nation’s participation in the space enterprise; For the attainment of space capabilities, Nigeria’s efforts should focus on research and rigorous education, engineering development, design and manufacture, particularly in the areas of instrumentation, rocketry and small satellites as well as in satellite data acquisition, processing, analysis and management of related software; The establishment of a national earth observation station for remote sensing and satellite meteorology data acquisition. Such an infrastructure will enhance the indigenous ability to adopt, modify and create new techniques for national resources inventories, monitoring, evaluation and management; The provision of efficient, reliable and adequate telecommunications services in Nigeria in order to enhance the growth of the industrial, commercial and administrative sectors of the economy. The focus areas of the National Space Programme (NSP) include:

Basic Space Science and Technology to provide the understanding of how the universe works and what its impact is on the world. This will enable us to lay the foundation for deriving maximum benefits from the nation’s participation in the space enterprise.

Remote Sensing to help Nigerians understand and manage our environment and natural resources using space-acquired information. This technology will enable us to better understand our land, air and water resources and their associated problems.

Satellite Meteorology to study atmospheric and weather sciences using satellite data to facilitate the effective management of our environment.

Communication and Information Technology to provide efficient and reliable telecommunications services for Nigeria in order to enhance the growth of the industrial, commercial and administrative sectors of the economy.

Defence and Security. The Federal Government shall develop a necessary Space Science Technology (SST) programme that will address the national needs of Nigeria. For this purpose the government shall establish a Defence Space Command in the Ministry of Defence. The Command shall comprise representatives of the defence, intelligence, security and law enforcement services and report through the Ministry of Defence to the National Space Council.

Satellites

• NigComSat-1 Communications satellite providing rural internet access - Launched on 13 May 2007, aboard a Chinese Long March 3B carrier rocket, from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in China. The satellite was the second Nigerian satellite to be placed into orbit. On 10 November 2008 (0900 GMT), the satellite was reportedly switched off, because it lost both of its solar arrays. The satellite is a total loss. The satellite was owned and operated by Nigerian Communication Satellite limited, an SPV, incorporated as a state owned enterprise, fully funded and owned by Federal Government of Nigeria. NigComSat Limited is currently being supervised by the Newly created Ministry od communications Technology and regulated by NCC and NBC.

• NigeriaSat-1 is a satellite of the standard Disaster Monitoring Constellation (DMC) design. It carries an optical imaging payload developed by SSTL to provide 32 m ground resolution with an exceptionally wide swath width of over 640 km. The payload uses green, red and near infrared bands equivalent to Landsat TM+ bands 2, 3 and 4. Images are stored in a 1-gigabyte solid-state data recorder and returned via an 8-Mbit/s S-band downlink. NigeriaSat-1 can image scenes as large as 640 x 560 km, providing unparalleled wide-area, medium-resolution data. The data will be used within Nigeria to monitor pollution, land use and other medium-scale phenomena.

Future projects

Satellites

• NigeriaSat-2 - to replace NigeriaSat-1, commenced November 6, 2006, due for launch in June 2011^[1]

• NIGCOMSAT-1R - to replace the lost NIGCOMSAT-1, due to be launched by 2011 with no cost to Nigeria.^[2]

Satellite launch vehicle

Robert Ajayi Boroffice, the founding Director General of the NASRDA disclosed at a public lecture on space technology development that Nigeria will take advantage of its advantageous geographic location to launch into near-equatorial orbit an indigenous satellite from the country without foreign assistance by 2018. ^[3]

Manned space program

Chidiebere also revealed the project to send the first Nigerian astronaut into space by the year 2015.^[3]

References

1. ^ "ISC Kosmotras starts preparations for new launch campaign". ISC Kosmotras. 2011-04-18. http://www.kosmotras.ru/en/news/101/. Retrieved April 30, 2011. 
2. ^ "因故失效的"尼星1号"替代星将于2011年发射升空". 新华网. 2009-03-24. http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2009-03/24/content_11064713.htm. Retrieved March 27, 2009. 
3. ^ ^{a b} "Nigeria has joined the space race Others should join too". Nature. 2008-10-30. http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v456/n1s/full/twas08.35a.html. Retrieved March 13, 2009. 

• GlobalSecurity.org article
• NigeriaSat-1 information
• NigeriaSat-2 information
• NigeriaSat-2 signing press release
• Nigeria Aggressively Pursues Space Program — Voice of America, 23 May 2006

External links

• NASRDA Homepage