Nigeria, has announced plans to launch an astronaut into space before the year 2030. This is part of the country’s ongoing plan to become a world-class space power. This recent announcement places the country right in the midst of human space exploration, something only very few countries in the world have managed to accomplish. Ogbonnaya Onu, the Nigerian Minister of Science and Technology, said that the space program is very important as space is a major asset that Nigeria must be involved in for the purpose of protecting national interests.
Nigeria launched its space agency NASRDA (National Space Research and Development Agency) in 2001. It then launched its first satellite, Nigeriasat-1, in 2003, a second satellite one in 2007, and another pair in 2011. Three of these satellites are still in orbit — including the most recent, NigeriaSat-X, which was designed and manufactured entirely by NASRDA scientists and engineers. The country plans to work with partners in China, who have been heavily involved with the development and launch of several other Nigerian satellites in the past decade.

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