Space blog - NIGERIASAT-2

NigeriaSat (s) rocketing along

nospam@example.com (Robin Wolstenholme) — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 16:35:06 +0000

SSTL have successfully completed the Critical Design Review (CDR) for NigeriaSat-2. This review is of the finalised design of the NigeriaSat-2 spacecraft and ground segment and plans for the full satellite manufacture. The 300 kg satellite will provide Nigeria with valuable geographically referenced high-resolution satellite imaging for mapping, water resource management, agricultural land use, population estimation, health hazard monitoring and disaster mitigation and management. The higher resolution optical payload will enable Nigeria to join the second generation Disaster Monitoring Constellation (DMC).

The SSTL-300 platform

This is an exciting period for the small satellite manufacturer, because NigeriaSat-2 will use the new, more agile SSTL-300 Earth Observation satellite platform.

Customer representatives from the National Space Research & Development Agency (NASRDA) have attended seven days of meetings at SSTL's headquarters in Guildford as part of the CDR.

Meanwhile during the third week in November, Nigeria's training satellite turned "real" satellite, codenamed NX has passed its Preliminary Design Review (PDR) with flying colours. The Nigerian Know How Transfer and Training (KHTT) team carried out the PDR for NX, which was was originally planned purely for training engineers as part of the NigeriaSat-2 programme. The PDR marks a significant milestone for the project and reflects the confidence of Nigeria's National Space Research And Development Agency (NASDRA) in the continued development of their engineers under the SSTL KHTT programme.

Nigerian ministerial visit

nospam@example.com (Robin Wolstenholme) — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 10:40:41 +0100

Nigeria's newly appointed Minister of Science, Chief Grace Ekpiwhre, began her new role with a visit to UK space company, Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL). The Honourable Minister was joined by Professor Robert Boroffice, Director-General, National Space Research and Development Agency, for briefing talks on a two-satellite contract currently under manufacture at SSTL for the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Nigerian ministerial visit

A new-design SSTL-300 enhanced microsatellite, to be called N2, will boost the country's space capability with a high performance operational mission delivering the latest in high resolution Earth imaging, to join the Disaster Monitoring Constellation (DMC) when launched in 2009. The imaging system will include a high-resolution 2.5-metre panchromatic camera with two further multispectral imagers: 5-metre 4-band (20km swath) and medium resolution 22-metre 4-band (300km swath).

Mrs Ekpiwhre also met with 11 Nigerian engineers currently working alongside SSTL engineers on the development of a training satellite. The SSTL-100 satellite, to be called NX, is an integral part of a know-how transfer programme that is providing the Nigerian engineers with hands-on experience in all aspects of spacecraft analysis, build, integration and test. NX will carry a 22-metre multispectral imaging system with ultra-wide 600km swath. The engineers will fully manage the complete life-cycle of the satellite, with responsibility for the delivery of the spacecraft to full flight specification.

The Minister visited both SSTL sites in Guildford, including the manufacturing clean rooms where she saw modules for the N2 spacecraft under construction.

This latest contract is the second between SSTL and Nigeria. NigeriaSat-1 was launched into the DMC in 2003 and continues to provide the country with 32-metre resolution imaging, used by the Government to monitor pollution, manage land use and monitor medium-scale changes to the landscape. N2 will enhance that capability significantly, providing Nigeria with hundreds of valuable geographically referenced images each day, for applications in mapping, water resource management, agricultural land use, population estimation, health hazard monitoring and disaster mitigation and management.

NigeriaSat-2 PDR gets thumbs up

nospam@example.com (Robin Wolstenholme) — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 11:52:45 +0100

SSTL have successfully completed the Preliminary Design Review (PDR) for NigeriaSat-2. The 300kg satellite will provide Nigeria with valuable geographically referenced high-resolution satellite imaging for applications in mapping, water resources management, agricultural land use, population estimation, health hazard monitoring and disaster mitigation and management, and will enable Nigeria to join the second generation Disaster Monitoring Constellation (DMC).

The PDR marks a significant milestone for the project and reflects the confidence of Nigeria's National Space Research And Development Agency (NASDRA) that the design proposed by SSTL will achieve their mission objectives.

Click to enlarge

The next step for NigeriaSat-2 is the Critical Design Review (or CDR). In the interim, SSTL will finalise the design of the NigeriaSat-2 spacecraft and ground segment and plans for the full satellite manufacture will be implemented. This is an exciting period for the small satellite manufacturer, because NigeriaSat-2 will use a new, more agile satellite platform (pictured left).

The PDR included the kick-off for the NX spacecraft, which the Nigerian engineers being trained at SSTL and the University Of Surrey will build alongside NigeriaSat-2 under the supervision of SSTL engineers as part of their Know-How Transfer and Training (KHTT) scheme. The Nigerian engineers presented the work undertaken during their training at SSTL and are preparing for the next stage, Mission Design Review, which will take place in August.

Customer representatives from the National Space Research & Development Agency (NASRDA), along with their technical advisors, Telesat of Canada, attended seven days of meetings at SSTL's headquarters in Guildford as part of the PDR.

NigeriaSat-2 is scheduled for launch in 2009.

SSTL completes MDR for Nigerian satellite

nospam@example.com (Robin Wolstenholme) — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 14:17:29 +0100

SSTL have successfully completed the Mission Design Review (MDR) for the N2 satellite mission for Nigeria.

During the review, SSTL were able to demonstrate to the customer, National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), that they have a full understanding of the mission requirements and a clearly defined way to implement those requirements. SSTL and NASRDA have agreed the overall mission-level characteristics and the detailed design will be developed through to the Preliminary Design Review, which will take place at the end of May.

Customer representatives from NASRDA, along with their technical advisors, Telesat of Canada, attended two days of meetings at SSTL’s headquarters in Guildford.

The new 300kg satellite, for launch in 2009, will provide Nigeria with valuable geographically referenced high-resolution satellite imaging for applications in mapping, water resources management, agricultural land use, population estimation, health hazard monitoring and disaster mitigation and management.

NigeriaSat-2 signing and celebration

nospam@example.com (Robin Wolstenholme) — Mon, 06 Nov 2006 13:06:38 +0000

SSTL's team in Abuja, Nigeria are pleased to announce that the NigeriaSat-2 contract was signed this morning by the Minister of Science & Technology of Nigeria Prof. Turner Isoun, Prof. Boroffice (Director General NASRDA) and SSTL CEO Sir Martin Sweeting.

The Minister congratulated SSTL on the performance of NigeriaSat-1, the training of Nigerian personnel and for enabling Nigeria to take its first steps into space for the benefit of the nation: he now looks forward to building on this excellent relationship with SSTL to make NigeriaSat-2 an even greater success.

NigeriaSat-2 promises to provide valuable services to Nigeria and to Africa, such as monitoring water resources and assisting the response to natural disasters.

The signing ceremony was attended by about 100 people including TV and press. A celebration lunch is now about to commence hosted by NASRDA and this evening Sir Richard Gozeny will host a dinner at the the UK High Commission for the Minister, Permanent Secretary, DG NASRDA, SSTL & TeleSat.

UK Exports Earth Observation Satellite to Nigeria

nospam@example.com (Robin Wolstenholme) — Mon, 06 Nov 2006 09:35:03 +0000

SSTL have just signed a contract in Abuja for the supply of the NIGERIASAT-2 Earth observation satellite, related ground infrastructure and a training programme to further establish a national indigenous space capability in the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The selection of SSTL by the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) of Nigeria follows a detailed technical evaluation and due diligence undertaken by NASRDA's procurement advisor, Telesat of Canada, confirming the UK company's position as the world-leading supplier of advanced operational small satellites.

The new 300kg satellite, for launch in 2009, will provide Nigeria with valuable geographically referenced high-resolution satellite imaging for applications in mapping, water resources management, agricultural land use, population estimation, health hazard monitoring and disaster mitigation and management.

By signing this contract with SSTL, Nigeria takes another large step in the development of their National Space Plan, building upon the existing NIGERIASAT-1 Earth Observation microsatellite supplied by SSTL in 2003 and the NIGCOMSAT-1 communications satellite currently being built by China for launch in 2008.

Commenting on the contract with SSTL, NASRDA's Director General, Professor Robert Boroffice, stated that, "this contract is the next step in Nigeria's long term plans to use space for the benefit of Nigeria and Africa. We are convinced that space provides a cost-effective means of addressing many of the issues facing African nations - such as mapping, water resources management, agricultural land use monitoring, population estimation, health hazard monitoring and disaster mitigation and management."

SSTL will develop NIGERIASAT-2 based upon its new generation of high-resolution Earth observation satellites to provide affordable access to space, using the latest advanced small satellite technologies developed from the TOPSAT and Beijing-1 missions launched successfully last year.

Commenting on the contract award, SSTL's CEO Sir Martin Sweeting noted, "I am delighted that NASRDA has decided to continue its successful partnership with SSTL on such a critical operational and training programme for Nigeria. Nigeria is a very valued member of the DMC and its continued cooperation with SSTL and DMCII ensures the operational status of the international DMC is extended even further. NASRDA's decision also confirms SSTL as the world-leading supplier of operational small satellites."

The contract with NASRDA follows "hot on the heels" of the signature by Deimos (Spain) on 10th October 2006 on a contract with SSTL for an EO microsatellite to join the next generation of the international DMC constellation. With NIGERIASAT-2, Nigeria will also join the second generation DMC, with the satellite being fully controlled from NASRDA's new satellite Mission Control Centre facilities in Abuja.

The DMC owes its success to a unique concept created and led by SSTL whereby each member of the DMC consortium (Algeria, China, Nigeria, Spain, Turkey, UK) owns and operates its own satellite, whilst co-operating with the other DMC members on satellite tasking and image capture to achieve a 24-hour revisit worldwide. The DMC satellites have been manufactured by SSTL and their operation in orbit is coordinated by DMC International Imaging Ltd (DMCii), a subsidiary of SSTL.

The NIGERIASAT-2 contract adds to an already successful year for SSTL and is expected to create up to 50 new high technology jobs in the UK. Alongside the recent contract with Deimos (Spain) and the successful launches of TOPSAT, Beijing-1 and GIOVE-A missions at the end of 2005, this contract further illustrates SSTL?s ability to manage multiple complex space missions successfully, at low cost and within short delivery timescales.