By Laide Akinboade

There is no nation in the world that can develop without the development of its science and technology. In recognition of this, Nigeria last week went to the space , launching two satellites into the orbit.

The history of satellites started in Nigeria in 1976, when the then Head of State made it known to Economic Council of Africa/Organization of Africa Union (ECA/OAU ), member countries at an inter-government meeting in Addis-Ababa.

The Federal Government between 1976 and 1980 , made a development plan to invest the sum of N10 million.

After considering much policies, the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology that was formally a council in 1970 became a full fledged ministry in 1980 and thereafter, the National Space Research and Development Agency was carved out of the ministry in 1988.

Federal Government launched the first satellite, NigSat-1, into the orbit on September 26th, 2003 in Plestek, Russia after some experts have undergone training at Surrey Satellite Technology in London.

NigeriaSat-1 is one of the five disaster monitoring satellites that form a network called the Disaster Monitoring Constellation and by so will share information with each other when disaster monitoring is needed.

That first satellite (Sat – 1), was supposed to last for five years but it is still working in the orbit but the second communication satellite (Nigcomsat) that was launched in May 2007 got lost due a cut to the fuel supply link of the panel resulting in a solar flare.

But Nigcomsat – would be replaced at the end of the year because according to a source it is about 75% completed.

The launched of Nigsat – 2 and Nigsat – X on Wednesday 17th August, 2011, at exactly 8:12am local time was strategic for the nation and the global community. The launch which was done in Yasny which is about two hours flight from the Russian capital, marked another important feat for Nigeria.

Also, the fact that Nigsat – X was solely built and designed by Nigerian Engineers and has a 2.5 meter high spatial resolution sensor as a strength point was another added advantage.

The satellites can be used for demography, like mapping and planning of population survey, census enumeration areas, mapping, planning and monitoring of rural and urban growth and also give advance warnings of natural disasters like floods, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and storms.

Nigeria can use Sat – 2 and Sat – X to mange oil pollutions, desertification, erosion, forest fire and deforestation.

It will also be used for mapping, land use planning, and management of sustainable gazing, forest logging, planning afforestation programmes, crop inventory and yield forecast.

Flaunting the achievement of HIS Agency in launching the satellites, Head, media and corporate affairs of the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASDA), Mr. Felix Ale said, “the two spacecrafts were integrated on the launch vehicle. NigeriaSat-2 after its launch will be the most advanced satellite of its kind in the global community. The imaging mode is unique, due to the agility of the spacecrafts.

“The satellites will allow imaging in the various modes, and pave way for data sets for more applications which are not possible with most satellites of its kind. The launch of NigeriaSat-2 and NigeriaSat-X is expected to provoke data revolution of high resolution in Nigeria and indeed all Africa” he added.

The data from the two satellites can be used in agriculture, forestry, land use and mapping, environmental and disaster monitoring, mitigation and management, geological mapping and transportation.