China launches Nigerian satellite

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Posted: Tue Dec 20, 2011 5:06 pm

May be an interesting read. Haven't found a thread on the topic so I hope I'm not duplicate threading Smile

http://africanspotlight.com/2011/12/nigeria-launches-satellite-in-china/

Quote:

In his words, “It will enhance our communications system as well as facilitate cheaper access to the internet, with a view to bridging the existing digital divide between our urban and predominantly rural communities and, thereby, bringing the government nearer to the grass roots.”

http://www.space.com/13975-china-rocket-launching-huge-nigeria-satellite.html

Quote:

Nigcomsat 1R could stimulate economic growth in Africa, helping create jobs and saving customers expensive charges for telephone calls and broadband Internet access.

Posted: Tue Dec 20, 2011 5:52 pm

Quote:

the new satellite, which was paid for by the insurance policy on NigComSat-1 which de-orbited in 2009

We did have a thread on that one, all the usual 'this satellite may come as a surprise to you' etc. I like 'de-orbited' - PR speak for 'plummeted to earth in a ball of flame'!

Posted: Wed Dec 21, 2011 5:28 am

This was all the talk of the town a while back when I was 'in country'.

The Nigerians pointed out that it was very typically Nigerian in that it was
1. Straying wildly outside its designated flight lane
2. Was having power blackouts
3. Was stealing radio bandwidth from neighboring frequency bands.

They seemed quite proud of it.

It is also worth mentioning that just outside of Abuja is the Obasanjo Space Centre. I never found out what they did all day...

Posted: Wed Dec 21, 2011 12:34 pm

They have a typical waffly "vision":

Quote:

To make Nigeria build indigenous competence in developing, designing and building appropriate hard and software in space technology as an essential tool for its socio-economic development and enhancement of the quality of life of its people.

Posted: Wed Dec 21, 2011 12:44 pm

^^^ I guess if they had written "Make space thingies locally" they wouldn't have got funding Laughing

Master of Master Baiters Joined: 23 Mar 2006 Posts: 669

Hmm...this kind of lends credibility to the format I wrote a few weeks ago and occasionally send out to lads. I might have to stop sending it.

Posted: Wed Dec 21, 2011 2:25 pm

I can remember about a year ago there was a scam mail doing the rounds asking for would be investors to fund a satellite that would orbit the earth scooping up all the tiny particles of gold dust flying about out there to be sold on it's return to earth.

'Ha ha' I thought at the time - but after this news I'm beginning to regret not sending that money via WU. Crying or Very sad

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