The Minister of Science and Technology, Prof. Ita Ewa while speaking in Abuja at the ongoing ministerial briefing revealed that Nigeria would launch three satellites and send astronauts to space by the year 2015.
The ministerial briefing is to commemorate 2012 Democracy Day and anniversary of the Goodluck Jonathanadministration.
He said the move was part of government efforts to boost the economy through space technology.
The minister enumerated the country’s space programme from now to 2028 when it expects to launch a made-in-Nigeria satellite into space.
Ewa said, “In 2015 we are preparing to launch NigeriaSAR-1 satellite. The NigeriaSAR is a security satellite with an acronym that stands for Synthetic Aperture Radar.
“This satellite will have a very high resolution that can cover kilometres, and for a backup of the communication satellite there will be NigeriaSat-2 and NigeriaSat-3.
“Also because of the experience we gained in Surrey, UK, we are going to build an Assembly Integration and Testing Centre for satellite technology, it is ongoing but this year we will put in more efforts to that technology.
“And before I leave office in 2015 we will send Nigerian Astronaut into space “
-Punch
