Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Chief Uche Nnaji says human spaceflight has always been a major aspiration for Nigeria...READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Nnaji made this known after it became public that the country plans to send the first Nigerian to space.
Nigeria and the Space Exploration and Research Agency, SERA, from Delaware, USA, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to actualize that dream.
“Human spaceflight is not just a random aspiration of our country but a major objective of the Nigeria Space Policy and Programme which was approved by the Federal Executive Council, FEC, in 2001.
“Reviving and implementing all abandoned national plans is a cardinal point of the Renewed Hope Agenda of the administration of President Bola Tinubu. This partnership provides a way of achieving our long-time aspiration as a nation,” he said.
The minister said the slot could be available from now till December, or in 2025, as SERA would still be test-running the platform.
Dr Matthew Adepoju, Director- General of NASRDA, said the cost of sending a Nigerian to space had been fully sponsored by SERA, adding that the event marked the commencement of the agency’s efforts to implement part of its roadmap of having a human spaceflight.
He also said the event was worth celebrating at a time Nigeria was marking the 25 years of its space programme.
“The Human Spaceflight programme is one of the cardinal objectives of National Space Policy and Programme.
“It was with this in mind that we established the Department of Physical and Life Sciences about three years ago to forge this mandate.
“This is also coming as one of our deep space explorations because there are many spinoffs that will come from the collaboration and opportunities opened for Nigerians,” he said.
