The Nigerian government has taken a momentous step by announcing its plan to send the country’s first citizen into space.
The Director General of the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), Mathew Adepoju, revealed this groundbreaking initiative during a press conference in Abuja.
In a significant partnership, the Nigerian government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Space Exploration and Research Agency (SERA).
This collaboration aims to facilitate the ambitious venture of sending a Nigerian citizen beyond Earth’s atmosphere. SERA, a global space agency dedicated to increasing access to space for all nations, will reserve a seat on an upcoming Blue Origin New Shepard suborbital spaceflight for this historic mission.
Joshua Skurla, Co-Founder of SERA, emphasized the importance of this endeavor: “Until now, space exploration has been an exclusive domain, with over 80% of all astronauts coming from just three countries. Nigeria, with its rich history of scientific and technological innovation, is poised to extend its legacy into space and create new opportunities for Nigerian space explorers.”
NASRDA, established in 1999, has been at the forefront of Nigeria’s space exploration efforts. Since launching its first satellite, Nigeria Sat-1, in 2003, the country has made significant strides in technological development. Now, with this collaboration, Nigeria celebrates its 25th anniversary of space exploration by venturing into the cosmos.
Additionally, NASRDA has highlighted the potential of Geo-Stationary Satellites to address security challenges in the maritime sector. Leveraging this technology could significantly enhance efforts to combat maritime insecurity.