NigcomSat-2 and 3 - Nigeria’s Satellites Ready for Launch
After the success of the launch of NigcomSat-1 in May 2007, Nigeria is set to launch two other satellites - NigcomSat-2 and NigcomSat-3.
Nigeria’s satellite company, NigComSat manages and operates the first geostationary communication satellite in sub-Saharan Africa, NigcomSat-1, which was launched physically from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in China’s southwest Sichuan Province, and uses China’s Dongfanghong IV carrier as a telecommunication and broadcasting platform.
The satellite which was launched in May 2007 based on a contract signed in December 2004 between Nigeria and China Great Wall Industry Corporation (CGWIC) was later handed over to the Nigerian government in July 2007 after several days of in-orbit adjustments and tests and the installation of two ground stations.
Why the sudden launch of NigcomSat-2 and 3?
We’re made to understand that the imminent launch follows the completion of 300 community telecommunication centers and deployment of NigComSat-1 services to West Africa. Moreover, the plans for NigComSat-2 and 3 form part of the satellite firm’s expansion vision to ensure that the benefits of the satellite’s applications are enjoyed by all on the African continent, according to Ahmed-Rufai, MD of NigComSat.
With this launch, it is hoped that NigComSat would get indigenous investments in the country as a result of demonstrating its capacity and capability to develop into a huge commercial enterprise as well as compete in the international satellite market with other established satellite operators.
My thoughts on this
I think that if the Nigerian government institutes technology policies that would support the launch of these satellites, it will position NigComSat as one of the leading global satellite operators.
It will still be mismanaged like every other Government funded and operated institution in Nigeria.
NigComSat was launched last year and it has not yet bega full operations since.
Of what benefit has Nigcomsat 1 been? i really dont know…
The Nigeria Immigration Service is slow with producing the new passports and the officers complain that their “server is slow”. I suspect that what they mean is that their network connection is slow since I reckon that the NIS has a centralized database of citizens data, that they use in producing the new passports.
Now, of what use exactly is the Nigcomsat-1 if a very key government institution like the NIS is not benefiting from it? Why are these people wasting our money if they won’t apply the bandwidth to the important sectors of our lives?