NIGERIAN SATELLITE LAUNCH POSTPONED TO Q1 2011

The new Nigerian earth observation satellite that was earlier scheduled for inauguration in December will now be launched into space in the first quarter of 2011.

The Director-General, National Space Research Development Agency, Dr. Seidu Mohammed, disclosed this at the opening of the 4th African Regional Conference of the International Academy of Astronautics in Abuja on Tuesday.

Mohammed explained to our correspondent that the postponement of the inauguration was at the instance of Ukraine, from where Nigeria is procuring satellite launching services.

Nigeria had earlier secured the services of the Ukraine satellite launch vehicle, Dnepr, for the launch of the second earth observation satellite.

Mohammed said, 'Nigeria is presently pursuing the implementation of a pragmatic space agenda, which has so far resulted in the launch of its first earth observation microsatellite, NigeriaSat-1, in September 2003, and the first pan-African communications satellite, NigComSat-1, in May 2007.

'The nation's second and third earth observation satellites - NigeriaSat-2 and NigeriaSat-X - are due for launch in the first quarter of 2011.'